The "China International Fair for Trade in Services - The 18th International Service Trade Forum" was held on Sept 14 at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. The forum, co-hosted by Beijing International Studies University (BISU) and the China Association of International Trade(CAIT), was themed "Service Trade: The Engine for China's and Global Economic Recovery".

The 18th International Service Trade Forum opens in Beijing on Sept 14.

It attracted experts from international organizations, 36 business officials from nine Central and South American countries, and over 150 representatives from China's service trade sector.

Li Jiashan, executive deputy head of the China Institute for Service Trade at BISU, presided over the opening ceremony.

Jin Xu, president of the CAIT, acknowledged the remarkable resilience of China's service trade despite the challenging international landscape.

Ji Jinbiao, secretary of the CPC BISU Committee and vice-president of the university, emphasized in his remarks the university's dedication over the past 60 years to promoting openness and cooperation and enhancing collaboration among government, industry, academia, and research. He highlighted the significance of the forum in advancing international service trade.

Hong Li, an official of the Ministry of Commerce(MOC), commended the forum's success and spoke of the growing resilience of China's service trade, saying that it is becoming a crucial force in promoting new development patterns and enhancing international economic cooperation.

Carolina Quintana, director of the Asia-Pacific Region of the World Trade Point Federation, praised BISU's academic contributions to service trade research. She also addressed the rapid development of the digital economy, pointed out the difficulty of building trust in digital commerce and proposed solutions.

Denise Janet Galaz Paria from the office of the Undersecretary of International Economic Relationships, emphasized the strong bilateral relations between Chile and China, pointing out that development in service trade offers valuable opportunities.

Jose Enrique Santos Cabrera, an official from Honduras expressed hope that the forum would strengthen ties between China and Honduras.

Ricardo Ruiz from the Federal University of Minas Gerais noted the potential for future cooperation in Sino-Brazilian trade, despite the current small scale of service trade.

In a keynote address, Chen Jian, senior consultant of BISU's China Institute for Service Trade and former vice-minister of the MOC, stressed that service trade acts as both an engine for economic recovery and a driver of development. He highlighted the importance of two-way opening up, pointed out the reorganization and reconstruction of global industrial chains and the need for development of the service trade, and he praised the institute's role in advancing service and cultural trade, urging continued focus on the challenges ahead.

Jing Xiaoyong, secretary of the Party committee and chairman of the China Oriental Performing Arts Group, underscored the importance of cultural trade in enhancing China's global image through high-quality stage arts.

The forum also introduced three publications: "Blue Book of Service Trade: Annual Report on the Development of China's International Service Trade (2024)", "Blue Book of Cultural Trade: Annual Report on the Development of China's International Cultural Trade (2024)", and "Blue Book of Capital Cultural Trade: Annual Report on the Development of Capital Cultural Trade (2024)".

Three publications are unveiled at the forum.

The event featured thematic discussions on "High-Quality Development of Service Trade", "Cultural and Tourism Opening-Up" and "Sustainable Innovation in Digital Trade" with insights shared by over 20 domestic and international guests.

As a long-standing host of the International Service Trade Forum, the China Institute for Service Trade at BISU has played a vital role in promoting academic research, policy consulting, and international cooperation, continuing to contribute to the thriving development of the service trade sector.