Prominent global companies attending trade service event held in China's capital, Beijing

The China International Fair for Trade in Services began in Beijing on Thursday, with nearly 200 forums and promotional activities to be held within its six-day agenda.

As this year's only global comprehensive fair centering on trade in services, the fact that the event is being held as scheduled amid the COVID-19 outbreak is of great significance, a senior official said. It reflects China's resolution to advance high-level opening-up and the country's commitment to the global fight against the pandemic and promoting a recovery in the global economy.

During the event, experts will conduct in-depth discussions on strategic and structural issues related to global trade in services.

CIFTIS has developed into the largest comprehensive exhibition in the field of global trade in services and a major platform for China's opening-up, according to Sun Yao, director of the Beijing Investment Promotion Service Center and deputy director of Beijing Commerce Bureau.

The event is of great significance to promoting the construction of a new development pattern and the high-quality development of China's foreign trade, helping the country deepen international cooperation and participate in global economic governance, Sun added.

With the theme of working toward a digital future and service-driven development, the 2021 CIFTIS is holding five summit forums on Friday, along with 193 thematic forums and promotional activities running throughout the event's time frame.

Hosts for the five forums include the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Development Research Center of the State Council, the World Tourism Cities Federation, and the Beijing municipal government.

During the fair, more than 180 distinguished guests from home and abroad will exchange views on such issues as the high-quality development of trade in services, opening-up and cooperation, new digital ecology and revitalizing world tourism.

According to the organizers, among those in attendance are politicians, heads of international organizations, Nobel laureates, academicians, ambassadors to China and executives from the world's top 500 companies and transnational corporations. Big names include German auto giant Daimler, French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, Chinese telecom company Huawei and global consulting group Deloitte.

International organizations, including the International Intellectual Property Organization, the World Food Programme and the International Banking Federation and World Trade Centers Association, will hold forums on topics such as intellectual property rights protection, food supply chains, fintech, ecological protection, sustainable development and healthcare.

In addition, a forum on the development, quality certification and cross-border legal services for traditional Chinese medicine will be held by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, together with the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China's Certification and Accreditation Administration and the organization for the prevention and settlement of international commercial disputes of the CCPIT.

More than 30 reports will be released at the 2021 CIFTIS, covering topics including the development of China's trade in services, world tourism development and China's industrial internet businesses. More than 10 alliances and think tanks will be set up targeting fields such as logistics, procurement, food supply chains and environment.

By inviting more than 70 companies to showcase their new achievements at the event, the 2021 CIFTIS is also committed to promoting new technologies and applications in fields like carbon neutrality, internet of things, fintech, healthcare, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, and boosting the exchanges between trade in services and advanced technologies, according to the organizers.