China's exhibition industry shows steady growth in 2024: report

China's economic and trade exhibition sector experienced steady growth in 2024, with a total of 3,844 events held, according to a report released by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) on Friday.

The report was released at the 20th China Expo Forum for International Cooperation (CEFCO), a key annual event in the global exhibition industry, which opened in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Thursday.

Themed "Empowering a Sustainable Future with New Quality Productive Forces," the three-day forum has attracted over 600 industry professionals from 20 countries and regions, including China, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with participants sharing insights and discussing the future prospects of the global exhibition industry.

The report shows that in 2024, a total of 3,844 economic and trade exhibitions was held nationwide (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions), with a total exhibition area of 155 million square meters.

The number of exhibitions remained basically the same as the previous year, while the exhibition area increased by 10.1 percent year on year. The average exhibition area per exhibition increased from 35,900 square meters in 2023 to 40,300 square meters, an increase of 12.3 percent.

"In terms of exhibition scale distribution, it has continued to optimize. In 2024, the number of small exhibitions with an area of 10,000 square meters or less dropped sharply, a year-on-year decrease of 25.8 percent; the number of large and medium-sized exhibitions with areas of 50,000 to 100,000 square meters increased significantly, a year-on-year increase of 11.8 percent," said Wu Shengrong, head of the department of exhibition under the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

The report also shows that China's outbound exhibitions are showing a strong momentum of development. In 2024, the number of overseas exhibition projects approved by CCPIT and actually fulfilled reached 1,166, including 99 overseas exhibitions hosted by Chinese units. These projects involved 68 organizers and more than 50,000 exhibitors from 60 countries or regions.

The top three countries in terms of the number of China's outbound exhibition projects in 2024 are Germany, the United States, and Russia.

"We don't look at it as competitiveness, we look at it as cooperation. I do think that our industry, more than many industries, recognize that if the China trade show industry is strong, and the U.S. trade show industry is strong, we all benefit. I do feel that the collaboration is increasing, and I think that 2025 is really (great). The optimism is that we can all have a great year, this coming year," said Vincent Polito, CEO of Society of Independent Show Organizers.

China's exhibition industry shows steady growth in 2024: report

As China and the United Kingdom resume their economic and financial dialogue after a five-year hiatus, banking giant Standard Chartered is poised to play a pivotal role in facilitating trade and investment flows between the two countries, as well as the global market, said Jose Vinals, group chairman of the British multinational bank.

The 11th edition of the dialogue, set to take place in Beijing on Saturday, will be co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves. This will be the first meeting since 2018, underscoring the importance of restoring high-level discussions at a time of growing global economic uncertainty.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Friday, Vinals expressed optimism about the dialogue's potential to foster broader cooperation. He highlighted the alignment of interests between China and the UK in key areas such as trade, sustainability and combating climate change.

"I think that the fact that this economic and financial dialogue between China and the UK is happening after an interruption of five years is most important. China and the UK, and many other countries, have an interest in continuing to foster open cross-border trade and investment flows. You also have common interest in things like promoting the green and sustainability agenda at a time when the world is challenged by climate warming and things like that. So, these are areas of significant common interests, and where cooperation between China and the UK is critical, but also cooperation between China and many other economies in the world," he said.

As part of its strategy to support this agenda, Standard Chartered sees itself as a critical intermediary in strengthening economic ties between China and the UK. The bank is also expanding its role as a connector between China and global markets.

"Standard Chartered has a key role to play as a super connector between China and the UK, and between China and the rest of the world. We are connecting China to the rest of the world by helping Chinese companies, both financial institutions and corporates, do business outside of China. We are also helping Chinese individuals with wealth management and diversifying their wealth across different products, both onshore and offshore. But we're also helping bring the rest of the world to China in the sense of bringing Chinese opportunities to our international investors, and then helping multinational companies who want to do more business in China or set up shop in China, do business here," Vinals said.

Standard Chartered seeks to strengthen China-UK ties as economic dialogue resumes