Beijing hosts 2025 CIFTIS trade fair
Event showcases AI-driven services as 85 nations, 500 global firms join
The 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) opened in Beijing, themed “Embrace Intelligent Technologies, Empower Trade in Services.” The event is hosted entirely at Shougang Park, a former steel plant and site of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Approximately 85 countries and international organizations are participating, with nearly 2,000 companies exhibiting, including around 500 Fortune Global 500 firms such as Walmart and AstraZeneca.
Key sectors showcased at the fair include finance, education, tourism, healthcare, and telecommunications, with a strong emphasis on digital technologies like artificial intelligence and cloud computing. The event runs for five days, with the first three days reserved for business visitors and the final two open to the public.
In a congratulatory letter, President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China’s commitment to expanding high-standard foreign trade rules and promoting quality and innovation in services trade. China's trade in services rose by about 8 percent year-on-year to approximately 3.9 trillion yuan in the first half of 2025. Australia is the guest country of honor, bringing its largest-ever delegation to the fair, with around 60 companies participating across various sectors.
The fair serves as a vital platform for promoting trade, investment, and global cooperation. Participants expressed excitement about the opportunities to engage with China's vast services market. Economic representatives from countries like Ireland and Norway highlighted their interest in tapping into China's market potential, particularly in sectors such as education and financial services.
Since its inception in 2012, CIFTIS has become the world's largest comprehensive exhibition in the services trade sector, attracting nearly 1.19 million participants from 198 countries. The event underscores China's ongoing commitment to an open-door policy and its efforts to expand openness in the services trade sector, even amid global challenges and rising protectionism. The active participation of international stakeholders reflects confidence in China's economic prospects and the belief in cooperation as a path to sustainable development.
