2024 CIFTIS' 1st overseas promotion successfully held

On December 1, the first overseas promotion conference of the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) was held in Bangkok, Thailand. This event saw participation from over 60 Thai enterprises and institutions, including the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Thailand, the Department of International Trade and Promotion (DITP) at the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (THAI-CC), the Beijing Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, the Thai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Photo Business Association (Thailand), the Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association, Chia Tai Group, Bangkok Bank, Artop Media, and Empathy Consulting.

Zhou Ling, deputy director-general of Beijing International Trade in Services Center, provided an overview of the 2023 CIFTIS and announced that the preparatory work for the 2024 edition has already been underway. The goal is to create a grand fair for trade in services with high international participation and strong sense of gain for both exhibitors and visitors. Besides, venue arrangement, trade coordination, on-site reception, publicity and promotion, and other high-quality services will be made available. She also extended a warm invitation to Thai enterprises and institutions to participate in the 2024 CIFTIS. 

Zhang Xiaoxiao, counsellor of the Economic & Commercial Counsellor's Office, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Kingdom of Thailand, emphasized that China and Thailand are each other's key partners in trade and economic cooperation, and China has been Thailand's largest trading partner for ten consecutive years. CIFTIS is a crucial international event that centers on trade in services, acting as a key platform to share the great opportunities presented by China's vast market and its high-standard opening-up. Thai government leaders and entrepreneurs are warmly welcomed to remain a supporter of the 2024 CIFTIS. 

Yuthika Isarangkura, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Thailand, expressed that the CIFTIS has shown Thailand a broader platform for cooperation and has unveiled numerous opportunities. The CIFTIS has established a dialogue and exchange platform for enterprises and institutions from both Thailand and China to jointly promote cooperation and development in various service trade fields, including film and television, media and creative industries, benefiting the people of both countries. 

Narongsak Putthapornmongkol, president of Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (THAI-CC), viewed the CIFTIS as a leading fair for global trade in services and an important platform for China's opening-up. He believed that this promotion conference has deepened Thai businesses' understanding of the CIFTIS, and he was confident that Thai enterprises, utilizing the CIFTIS platform, will further bolster their international competitiveness, propelling the high-quality development of Thailand-China service trade. 

Chai Thanichanun, president of Beijing Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, pointed out that the chamber has been deeply involved in the CIFTIS for multiple years in different forms and has reaped benefits from it. The chamber looks forward to partnering with all parties and welcomes their active participation in the CIFTIS, thereby facilitating more pragmatic collaborations in the service trade sector between Thai and Chinese enterprises. 

During the event, participants engaged in extensive and in-depth exchanges on CIFTIS-related activities in sectors like finance, culture, and digital animation. Chia Tai Group, Bangkok Bank, the Beijing Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, and other Thai enterprises and institutions expressed that Thailand, as a regular participant of the CIFTIS, has participated in the event since its predecessor - Beijing Fair. Thailand also served as the guest country of honor at the 2019 Beijing Fair and is willing to maintain active involvement in the 2024 CIFTIS. The Bank of China, as a global partner of CIFTIS, anticipates ongoing participation in series of CIFTIS events, and will provide comprehensive financial service support in facets like investment promotion, financial services, and event organization. 

Liu Yunxue, general manager of the CIFTIS Center at Beijing Capital Group Exhibitions & Events Co., Ltd., chaired the conference. Wang Haiying, director of the CIFTIS Center at Beijing Capital Group Exhibitions & Events Co., Ltd., provided insights into the thematic exhibitions of the CIFTIS around areas of interest to Thai enterprises and institutions such as financial services, cultural and tourism services, and healthcare services. 

This event was hosted by Beijing International Trade in Services Center, co-organized by Beijing Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, Beijing Capital Group Exhibitions & Events, and Bangkok Bank, and supported by THAI-CC and Bank of China. Following this, there are plans to continue promoting the CIFTIS in Oceania, Europe, and other regions, aiming to present the latest updates of the fair to more overseas enterprises and institutions.