The 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) concluded in Beijing on Sunday, highlighting China’s growing strength in technology-driven and knowledge-intensive services.
Held over five days, the fair attracted more than 1,830 companies and institutions, while over 116,000 professional visitors registered for the event, representing a 3.7 percent increase year on year.
By Sunday noon, the fair’s core exhibition area had recorded nearly 420,000 visits, an increase of 36.6 percent compared with the previous edition.
The event also featured about 200 forums, business matchmaking sessions and promotional activities. More than 1,200 outcomes were recorded across seven categories, including six cooperation agreements signed between Chinese companies and the Norwegian delegation, this year’s guest of honour.
A major highlight of CIFTIS 2026 was the introduction of a dedicated exhibition area showcasing examples of “Chinese services.” The area demonstrated how Chinese companies are moving beyond exporting products to providing services and customised solutions for international markets.
Among the featured innovations was an overseas service platform based on China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. The platform reflects a shift from simply exporting BeiDou-related equipment to providing operational services that support the development of digital infrastructure in other countries.
Another featured innovation was a domestically developed welding robot designed for use in high-risk environments, including shipbuilding, offshore engineering and nuclear power. Instead of merely selling the equipment, the company provides customised solutions and supporting services based on the requirements of different overseas markets.
Of the more than 140 innovative cases displayed in the new exhibition area, nearly 40 percent focused on artificial intelligence, large language models and AI agents.
Visitors also experienced emerging services such as AI-assisted medical care, intelligent question-and-answer systems and services supporting healthy ageing, demonstrating the changing nature of China’s service exports.
China’s service trade was previously more closely associated with sectors such as tourism, transportation and business-process outsourcing, which tend to depend heavily on labour and resources.
CIFTIS 2026, however, highlighted the country’s growing competitiveness in technology-enabled and knowledge-intensive services, with artificial intelligence, digital technologies and scenario-based innovation playing an increasingly important role.
Official data show that in the first half of 2026, China’s exports of AI-related products exceeded $480 billion, representing a 47.3 percent year-on-year increase. Exports of knowledge-intensive services surpassed 800 billion yuan ($119 billion), accounting for 53.5 percent of total service exports.
Henning Kristoffersen, Commercial Counsellor at the Norwegian Embassy in China, said China’s rapid technological development and innovation ecosystem had made a strong impression on him.
He said China’s high-tech development was progressing at an impressive pace, adding that its service offerings were also upgrading across consumption, technology and production.
The fair also placed greater emphasis on helping Chinese companies expand into overseas markets. For the first time, CIFTIS established a dedicated area for roadshows and promotional activities aimed at supporting companies seeking to expand internationally.
More than 40 sessions were organised by professional service providers in areas including finance, law, accounting, intellectual property, advertising and human resources.
The initiative was designed to bring together services that companies previously had to obtain separately, creating a more integrated support system for businesses entering international markets.
In recent years, Chinese companies have expanded their presence in global markets, increasing the demand for professional services to support overseas operations.
Zhou Mi, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said China needs to develop more globally competitive service providers with a strong understanding of target markets and international rules.
He said the Chinese government should further strengthen the alignment between domestic and international rules, including those under the World Trade Organization’s framework for trade in services and bilateral free trade agreements.
According to Zhou, such measures could help Chinese companies reduce the cost of entering overseas markets and adapt more effectively to different regulatory environments.
He also stressed that China’s focus is not solely on exports but on ensuring that imports and exports complement each other.
He said China’s current trade structure supports global green, low-carbon and smart development, while the country’s economic growth will continue to create opportunities for other countries.