China's service trade fair to open in September

BEIJING -- The 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) is scheduled to open on Sept 10 in Beijing, with Australia invited as the guest country of honor.

Starting this year, the fair will adopt a fixed schedule, opening on the second Wednesday of September every year, Zhao Qizhou, an official with the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau, told a press conference on Thursday.

It will be held at Shougang Park, a 3-square-kilometer industrial heritage site and a previous venue of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

The fair consists of sectors including finance, culture and tourism, education, sports, supply chain and healthcare services.

The event will run for five days -- the first three days designated for professional visitors and the last two for public access.

The Global Trade in Services Summit, co-hosted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, China's Ministry of Commerce and the Beijing municipal government, will be held on Sept 10.

Since its inception in 2012, CIFTIS has brought together enterprises from around the world to share opportunities stemming from China's opening up and development of trade in services.

Last year's edition attracted over 450 Fortune 500 enterprises and companies taking the lead in their respective industries, as well as participants from 85 countries and international organizations.