Multiple countries and international organizations to attend 2022 CIFTIS

A total of 71 countries and international organizations will participate in the 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) to be held in Beijing from Aug 31 to Sept 5, said the event's organizers on Tuesday.

Fifty-nine countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Germany and the United Kingdom, and 12 international organizations such as the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will hold offline exhibitions during the event, an increase of 11 in the number of countries and two in international organization amount respectively over the previous session, data from Beijing municipal government shows.

Covering an exhibition area of more than 15,200 square meters and focusing on nine themes, including financial, educational, healthcare and supply chain management services, over 400 Fortune 500 companies and industry-leading enterprises will set up booths during the grand event, said Sheng Qiuping, vice-minister of commerce.

A new section has been set up to support China's "dual carbon" goals, as the country has announced that it will strive for peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, he said.

Wang Dongtang, director-general of department of trade in services and commercial services at the Ministry of Commerce, said China's trade in services has maintained a rapid growth momentum since 2012, with an average annual growth rate of 6.1 percent, about 3.1 percentage points higher than the global growth rate.

The ranking of China's trade in services in the world has also risen from third to second. By the end of 2021, the nation ranked second in this kind in the world for eight consecutive years, he said.

This year's CIFTIS will include a global services trade summit, exhibitions, forums, new product and technology releases, business promotions and discussions, and supporting activities, according to the commerce ministry.