Beijing prepares service trade fair

Preparations are in progress for the Fourth China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), to be held in Beijing on May 28- June 1, 2016, said the head of the organizing committee.

CIFTIS, the first international fair focusing on the service trade, started in Beijing in 2012. It has been held three times, attracting international organizations, foreign associations, and enterprises at home and abroad.

In January, the State Council issued the Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Trade in Services, which called for a site for service trade exchanges service trade exhibitions led by CIFTIS.

CIFTIS will bridge China's service brands and the rest of the world and promote cooperation in the services trade. 

The fourth CIFTIS will hold theme exhibitions, forums, and activities on China's national strategies, including the Belt and Road Initiative, entrepreneurship and innovation, and the integrated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.

The last event had participation from 350 government leaders, officials, and heads of international organizations and associations. Enterprises such as Samsung, Carrefour, Siemens, China Post and Beijing Tongrentang Group have attended CIFTIS for three consecutive years. The fourth fair is expected to have more foreign participants and guests from more than 30 provinces.

In addition, it will emphasize professionalism and efficiency, said the organizing committee. "Because the service trade is different from the goods trade, its display and negotiation are different from goods exhibitions." Priority will be given to improving summits, signing ceremonies, exhibition areas planning, forum topics, and industrial integration.

The event will also insist on a frugal, green and sustainable fair.

It will recycle the banners, guidance signs, and brochures from the last three fairs and use Internet, social media, and cell phone apps to promote the fair. Paper materials will be replaced to lower costs and develop a green event.

The past three fairs attracted 3,519 reporters from 743 media. Its official website - www.ciftis.org, was visited 2.8 million times with visits to its foreign language website accounting for 47 percent.

A visitor makes enquiries at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Trade in Services stand at the third CIFTIS in Beijing. [Photo by Wu Changqing/ Asianewsphoto]

About CIFTIS

CIFTIS is the first comprehensive platform specializing in trade in services around the world, covering business, communication, architecture and engineering, finance, tourism, entertainment, culture, sports, transportation, health, education, distribution, and the environment.

It is permanently based in Beijing and hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality.

Its support organizations include the World Trade Organization, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.