International trade in services event provides key platform facilitating country's opening-up

The 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services has further demonstrated its role as a key platform for the country's opening-up and innovative development, by providing opportunities for all involved parties and instilling confidence in a global economic recovery, a commerce ministry official said on Tuesday.

Wang Zhihua, a senior official of the department of trade in services and commercial services at the Ministry of Commerce, said the 2021 CIFTIS, which concluded on Sept 7 in Beijing, achieved its goal and generated fruitful results.

According to the organizing committee, the six-day fair saw 642 deals clinched, 223 investment agreements reached and 46 alliances formed.

Eighty-seven projects related to cultural integrated development were inked during the 2021 CIFTIS, valued at 23.89 billion yuan ($3.69 billion).

Meanwhile, the sports services sector held a signing ceremony for 14 projects worth 11.15 billion yuan in total.

The event was more international this year with 12,000 enterprises from 153 countries and regions participating, compared to 148 countries and regions last year, said Yan Ligang, director of the Beijing Commerce Bureau.

The exhibition area expanded to 126,000 square meters, covering four comprehensive exhibitions in the China National Convention Center and eight thematic exhibitions in the Shougang Industrial Park, with 7,364 companies from home and abroad signing up for exhibitions, both online and offline, up 37 percent from the number of 2020.

In particular, it was the first time that the fair held a health services exhibition, enabling leading healthcare enterprises and institutions to showcase their latest achievements in containing COVID-19.