The 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services has officially opened. This year’s event welcomes exhibitors from 90 countries, regions and international organisations, with more than 1,800 enterprises participating offline. The exhibition showcases achievements in four core sectors: digital trade in services, green low-carbon services, artificial intelligence applications and cross-border professional services. Featured offerings include cloud services, cross-border telemedicine, digital copyright services, carbon consulting and green construction services. It ranks among the world’s largest specialised expos dedicated to trade in services.

Trade in services represents a new growth engine for global commerce. Unlike physical merchandise trade, cross-border service delivery depends on technology, data and professional expertise. The worldwide energy transition fuels rising demand for green services including carbon accounting, environmental consulting and low-carbon technology licensing. Wider adoption of AI foundation models and cloud computing drives growth in cross-border digital service contracts. China continues to open up its service sector, easing market access for professional and digital services. The reforms attract foreign service providers to set up local branches and support domestic digital and professional service firms to secure overseas orders.

Multiple industry forums run alongside the exhibition, addressing hot topics such as cross-border data flows, global standards for green services and intellectual property protection in service industries. Many multinational service firms release digital and low-carbon service packages tailored for the Chinese market at the fair. Industry organisations point out uneven recovery in global service trade. Service consumption rebounds rapidly in advanced economies, while inadequate infrastructure caps digital service consumption growth in several emerging markets. CIFTIS creates a platform for global service providers to showcase products, match partners and sign contracts, helping reduce barriers to international service trade. Market observers will track total contract value sealed during the fair and order volume of signed digital service trade projects.