On August 12, a media briefing was held for the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), with the theme of “Join in CIFTIS, Embrace the Future”. It was announced that the 2024 CIFTIS will take place from September 12 to 16 at the China National Convention Center and Shougang Park. A total of 72 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in offline exhibitions, representing their national governments or headquarters. Among them, 12 countries and international organizations will set up their own booths for the first time. This year’s fair, highlighting new quality productive forces, will feature innovative and specialized exhibitions and displays.
CIFTIS is a large-scale international exhibition and trading platform dedicated to trade in services. Since its inception in 2012, ten editions have been successfully held. Today, CIFTIS has evolved into the largest comprehensive exhibition for global trade in services. Themed “Global Services, Shared Prosperity”, the 2024 CIFTIS will feature the Global Trade in Services Summit, diverse exhibitions and displays, business talks, promotional activities, achievements release, and supporting events.
There will be comprehensive and thematic exhibitions, focusing on cultivating new quality productive forces. By leveraging exhibition clusters across the entire industry chain, the fair will integrate high-quality resources of services trade and showcase the latest achievements across various fields. The comprehensive exhibitions will be held at the China National Convention Center, comprising the Exhibition for Achievements of Trade in Services, Exhibition for Countries, Regions and International Organizations, Exhibition for Provinces, Municipalities, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, and Exhibition of Annual Theme. The thematic exhibitions will take place at Shougang Park, centering around industry hotspots and development trends. The themes include telecommunications, computer and information services, financial services, culture and tourism services, education services, sports services, supply chain and business services, engineering consulting and construction services, health services, and environmental services.
As the guest country of honor at this year’s CIFTIS, France will set up a national pavilion to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Sino-French diplomatic relations. A series of events will be held to promote cooperation between the two countries, covering various sectors including fashion, sports, healthcare, and investment. Sichuan and Hainan, as the guest provinces of honor, will display new achievements in their competitive industries such as satellites, information technology, and traditional Chinese medicine, as well as new policies for Free Trade Zones.
At the Global Trade in Services Summit, foreign dignitaries and leaders of international organizations will deliver speeches and exchange policies and experiences. By building global consensus in the services sector, the summit aims to contribute to world economic recovery and growth.
Notably, exhibitors will enjoy more convenient services this year. Beijing has introduced eight measures as part of the “Sailing: CIFTIS” initiative to facilitate the entry and exit of merchants and enterprises. Focused on their specific needs, these measures include establishing an entry and exit service desk at the fair to provide on-site policy consultation and processing of entry and exit documents. With invitation letters, foreign exhibitors can apply for port visas at port visa offices at Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport. International visitors can also register their accommodation online.
At the same time, the 2024 CIFTIS will partner with the Bank of China to offer one-stop integrated services to address foreign visitors’ diverse payment needs. This includes consultation services on how to pay for transportation and dining, as well as instructions on self-service foreign currency exchange and other financial services. CIFTIS will also collaborate with Tencent’s WeChat Pay to set up an “Entry Payment Service Consultation Desk”, providing international guests with more convenient mobile payment options.
Starting from August 12, visitors can purchase electronic tickets via the CIFTIS digital platform. A single-day ticket for September 12, 13 or 14, is priced at 20 yuan, while a three-day pass costs 50 yuan. From September 15 to 16, free reservation will be available. All visitors are required to complete real-name reservations for the intended sessions at least 48 hours in advance and enter the venue with their valid ID documents. Tickets can be reserved via the official website (both desktop and mobile), WeChat Official Account, App, WeChat mini-program of CIFTIS, or the WeChat Official Account of Beijing Capital Group Exhibitions & Events. After entering the ticket reservation system, one can select the exhibition area and session they would like to visit.
(Edited based on relevant reports from Beijing Daily)
