13 high-level forums to feature at China's service trade fair

The 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) will host 13 high-level forums, focusing on high-end leadership, global perspective, professional depth and cross-sector integration. The events will bring together global representatives to address key issues in service trade and showcase China's innovation and international cooperation capacity, organizers said at a media briefing on Aug. 29 in Beijing.

Organizers introduce arrangements for 13 high-level forums to be held at CIFTIS 2025 during a press conference in Beijing, Aug. 29, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the CIFTIS Organizing Committee]

According to Yin Liang, deputy director of the Beijing International Trade in Services Center, this year's forums are rooted in national strategies and focus on institutional opening up. Institutions including the Ministry of Commerce, the Research Department of Foreign Economic Relations under the Development Research Center of the State Council, and the World Tourism Cities Federation will release reports on topics such as the development of China's trade in services in 2024, digital trade development and cooperation, and the competitive potential index of world tourism destinations, offering China's solutions for global trade in services governance.

Among the forums, the China Forum on Standardization of Trade in Services will invite representatives from international organizations such as the World Trade Organization and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Through the release of standards and cases as well as the signing of cooperation memorandums, the forum aims to help Chinese enterprises go global and address new challenges from international rules.

Meanwhile, the Forum on Development of Trade in Services will focus on emerging trends in opening up, development and facilitation, while the Global Entrepreneurs Summit on Trade in Services will highlight digital intelligence driving inclusive development.

The Conference on Innovation and Development of Digital Trade in Xiongan New Area will facilitate the signing of international cooperation projects in areas such as satellite communications and artificial intelligence. The E-Commerce Convention will emphasize AI-driven consumption and upgrading of the industrial internet, clarifying new trends in e-commerce. The World Frontier Science and Technology Conference is expected to lead to the signing of more than 10 projects while a high-level forum on integrating technology and culture will also be held under its umbrella.

Green development is a common theme across the forums, reflecting China's pursuit of its carbon reduction goals. The Fourth Academician Forum on Ecological and Environmental Protection Industry Serving the Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Strategy will showcase achievements in eco-innovation and release an evaluation index system for environmental protection enterprises. The Meteorological Economy Forum will link climate with industries, while the Global Green Economy Development Forum will focus on innovation and global cooperation to advance the UN's 2030 sustainable development goals.

International participation has reached a new high in this year's forum events. Senior officials, academicians and business leaders from several countries will gather in Beijing for dialogue and cooperation. China will focus on medical innovation and technological cooperation with France and the United Kingdom, while Chinese enterprises will work with Saudi and Singaporean partners to advance digital projects in Xiongan New Area.

Cultural exchange is another highlight. The World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development will facilitate the matching of cultural and tourism resources between Chinese and foreign cities, further advancing the exchange and understanding between Eastern and Western civilizations.

People's livelihood concerns are also being addressed at the forums. The Beijing Capital International Medical Conference will explore topics such as universal health coverage, patient safety and healthy aging. The E-Commerce Convention will discuss the silver economy and smart-home services, while the Conference on Industrial Integration and Innovative Development of Human Resources Service Industry will focus on youth talent exchange and global employment promotion.

The Global Headquarters Economy Conference & 2025 Beijing Forum on China Building Economy will bring together leading headquarters enterprises and asset management institutions to examine opportunities and challenges in headquarters economy and commercial building development. It will explore building a collaborative ecosystem of government, enterprises and properties, as well as strategies to attract more headquarters investments into China while facilitating Chinese companies' global expansion. Through enhanced collaboration, the forum aims to counter trade protectionism and promote sustainable growth in headquarters and building economy sectors.

The forums at CIFTIS 2025 will integrate strategic discussions, technological foresight, international cooperation, industry matchmaking and livelihood services. They fully demonstrate the resilience and potential of China's trade in services, clearly convey China's commitment to inclusiveness for all and win-win cooperation, and strive to inject new impetus into the high-quality development of global trade in services, organizers said.