The just-concluded China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) has been hailed by international attendees as a key platform for promoting cooperation in the services sector, with the strong global presence of many industry leaders making it a vital event to strategically engage with Chinese investors and institutions.
The five-day trade fair wrapped up on Monday after attracting participants from over 80 countries and regions, with a host of international organizations also taking part in the event which was themed "Global Services, Shared Prosperity."
Many were seeking to leverage new opportunities for bilateral economic and technological collaboration, including Brett Stevens, the China commissioner for the Australian state of Victoria, who said there is robust collaboration in many fields between Australia and China.
"We are seeing a really strong collaboration in services such as age care services, in vocational training services, and in the higher education services," said Stevens.
This year's fair again drew more and more participants keen to tap into the opportunities afforded by the event, with Portugal being among 13 countries who were showcasing independent exhibitions for the first time.
"CIFTIS is of course a very impressive fair, because of the dimension, of the presence [of participants], it's quite important without any doubt. It's also the first time that Portugal is participating in CIFTIS with a pavilion here. And we did it because we think it was relevant to be present, to exchange views with Chinese investors, with other participants in the process of exchanges [and] of learning. But also because this is the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Portugal and China," said Paulo Nascimento, Portuguese Ambassador to China.
China initiated a national fair dedicated to promoting trade in services in 2012, which later became known as the CIFTIS. The event has attracted over 900,000 exhibitors and participants from 197 countries and regions since its inception.
Int'l attendees hail "impressive" CIFTIS event as key platform for collaboration, investment
