2026 Intl Consumption Trends Conference held in Beijing

The 2026 International Consumption Trends Conference and High-Quality Development of Service Consumption Forum was held at Shougang Park in Beijing on Sept. 10.

A representative speaks at the 2026 International Consumption Trends Conference and High-Quality Development of Service Consumption Forum in Beijing, Sept. 10, 2026. [Photo by You Jiaxin/China.org.cn]

The forum brought together guests from government agencies, industry organizations, diplomatic missions in China, financial institutions and enterprises. They exchanged views on service consumption innovation, the integration of domestic and international markets, cross-border financial support, emotional consumption, and new business formats.

Han Zirong, a member of the leading Party members group of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said service consumption should return to its original purpose of meeting people's needs, draw on culture for support, and achieve mutual benefit through openness.

Wang Min, president of the China General Chamber of Commerce, said China's consumption is shifting from a focus mainly on goods to an equal emphasis on goods and services. Digital technologies are giving rise to new forms and models of consumption, including green consumption, emotional consumption, immersive consumption and cross-border services.

Fang Aiqing, a former vice minister of commerce, said integrating domestic and international markets is an essential requirement for the high-quality development of service consumption in the new era. Such integration requires leveraging institutional opening-up to draw on advanced overseas service models and standards while making use of local cultural resources to improve the supply of services for inbound consumption.

Zhao Ping, president of the Academy of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said service consumption and trade in services reinforce each other, and that the China International Fair for Trade in Services should be used as a platform to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.

During the corporate practice sharing session, McDonald's China presented a case on in-store physical consumption and Yuanlong Yato one on cultural intellectual property. McDonald's has boosted in-store spending by developing new physical retail settings, while Yuanlong Yato, which advocates "culture as the core and IP as the bridge," is promoting the global expansion of Chinese cultural IPs.

Organizers also released the Consumer Environment Internationalization Index and the Guide for Digital Economy Enterprises Going Global, offering a reference for the industry and guidance for companies expanding abroad.