Services trade fair shows China's continued commitment to opening up, expert says

BISHKEK, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services underscores China's commitment to high-level opening-up, according to one expert.

"It is these areas that today determine the transition from traditional services to high-tech and knowledge-intensive solutions," Tolonbek Abdyrov, a professor of economics and vice rector of the International Higher School of Medicine in Kyrgyzstan, told Xinhua, noting China's push in cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, fintech, digital healthcare and online education.

This year's fair, scheduled from Wednesday to Sunday in Beijing, will highlight how digital and intelligent technologies are reshaping the sector.

"For the international community, for many countries of the world, this means there is an opportunity not only to access modern technologies, but also to participate in new standards of the global market," he said.

Abdyrov said China continues to improve systems and mechanisms for opening its economy to the world. For developing countries, the professor added, cooperation with China in services offers clear advantages.

"Firstly, this opens access to the world's largest market, where demand for innovative solutions continues to grow. Secondly, China creates conditions for cross-border cooperation, which reduces barriers to entry and exit," he said. That also includes opportunities to advance green and sustainable services, laying the groundwork for long-term partnerships aligned with global development goals.

According to China's Ministry of Commerce, service imports and exports in the first half of 2025 topped 3.8 trillion yuan (533 billion U.S. dollars), up 8 percent year on year. The growth, Abdyrov said, highlights how services are emerging as a strategic sector even as global goods trade slows.

The professor pointed to China's institutional reforms, such as streamlined rules for foreign-funded companies, pilot free trade zones and new digital standards, as examples of how Beijing is promoting openness and innovation.

"These steps not only strengthen China's competitiveness, but also create a platform for equal participation by partners, including emerging economies," Abdyrov said.

He added that the fair will serve not only as a showcase of China's achievements but also as an invitation for other countries to help shape a new generation of global trade rules grounded in innovation, digitalization and sustainable growth.