On September 12, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services, stating: "China is willing to work with countries around the world to follow the general trend of economic globalization, share opportunities, jointly discuss cooperation, and promote development together, contributing to promoting world economic growth and improving the well-being of people of all countries."

President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter has sparked enthusiastic responses among the vast number of cadres and the masses. People have stated that currently, global service trade and service industry cooperation are developing in depth, and the processes of digitalization, intelligence, and green development are accelerating. We must seize the important opportunity period for innovative and improved development of service trade, promote high-quality development of service trade through high-level opening up, and drive service trade to contribute greater impetus to global economic development.

Adhering to High-Level Opening Up to Drive High-Quality Development

In his congratulatory letter, President Xi Jinping pointed out: "China will adhere to promoting high-quality development through high-level opening up, improve the system and mechanism for high-level opening to the outside world, and innovatively upgrade service trade."

"President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter is far-sighted and inspiring, conveying to the world China's determination to work with all countries and parties to create a better future, and injecting strong impetus into our accelerated advancement of high-quality development of the large health industry." Zhang Zhenrong, deputy secretary of the Party group of the General Technology Group, said that the General Technology Group actively serves the Healthy China strategy, focusing on the growing health needs of the people, improving medical services, strengthening health management, and expanding health care for the elderly, providing people with full-industry, comprehensive, and life-cycle medical and health services, and contributing to improving people's health and well-being and promoting the construction of a Healthy China.

Zhang Geping, director and Party secretary of Beijing Customs, said that as the customs authority responsible for hosting the CIFTIS, Beijing Customs has introduced 12 specific measures to provide comprehensive customs supervision and service support. Beijing Customs will use the construction of smart customs and the "Smart Customs, Strong Country" action as the main approach, implement and refine measures to support high-level opening up to promote the development of the capital in the new era, promote the open development of the service industry and service trade, create a first-class port business environment, and make new contributions to serving Beijing's "two zones" construction and promoting high-level opening up and high-quality development of the capital.

"President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter has pointed out the direction and boosted confidence for China to further expand its service trade opening up under the new situation." Ye Huiqing, member of the Party group and vice general manager of COFCO Group, said that the global agricultural and food supply chain, as an important part of the development of international service trade, is becoming increasingly important in international trade. COFCO Group will actively participate in and lead new concepts, rules, and paths for global agricultural and food cooperation, continuously build a higher-level global agricultural and food supply chain, and contribute greater strength to further promoting the transformation and upgrading of the global agricultural and food system and helping to build a new system of a higher-level open economy.

"At this year's CIFTIS, China Construction Eighth Engineering Division uses the theme of 'Intelligently Leading New Quality, Building the Future' to showcase a number of leading technological products and solutions." Fang Sizhong, deputy secretary of the Party committee, director, and chairman of the trade union of China Construction Eighth Engineering Division, said that China Construction Eighth Engineering Division will continue to actively integrate into and serve the national development strategy, promote high-quality development of the construction industry; at the same time, actively participate in high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road", providing integrated solutions and high-quality urban development products for global customers.

Cheng Xianyong, secretary of the Party committee and chairman of China Construction Transportation Group Co., Ltd., stated that China Construction Transportation will seize new industrial opportunities, continue to cultivate in the fields of intelligent construction and green construction, and empower "China Construction" with technology.

CIFTIS Has Made Positive Contributions to Building an Open World Economy

In his congratulatory letter, President Xi Jinping pointed out: "The CIFTIS has been successfully held for ten sessions, serving as a vivid portrayal of the high-quality development of China's service industry and service trade, and has made positive contributions to building an open world economy."

"We will fully utilize this globally renowned platform of CIFTIS, actively showcase the achievements of the company's green development, explore new paths for innovative upgrading of service trade, strengthen international cooperation, and contribute more strength to the prosperity of global service trade." Zeng Congqin, secretary of the Party committee and chairman of Wuliangye Group (Stock) Company, said.

"Tongrentang has promoted traditional Chinese medicine therapies such as acupuncture, pulse diagnosis, and massage to various parts of the world, serving more than 50 million people globally and achieving widespread dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture among 500 million people worldwide." Dai Xiaofeng, general manager of Tongrentang Group, said. While inheriting the essence of traditional Chinese medicine culture, Tongrentang focuses on innovative development and actively embraces new technologies in intelligent interconnection. In the TCM online consultation service area of Tongrentang Internet Hospital, many Chinese and foreign visitors personally experienced the online diagnosis and treatment process, feeling the convenience and efficiency brought by the combination of traditional Chinese medicine and modern technology.

"CIFTIS is an excellent platform for display and exchange. We will continue to leverage technological innovation to help improve the quality and efficiency of service retail, stimulate market consumption potential, and contribute to the high-quality development of service trade." Wang Wei, general manager of Meituan's Public Affairs Department, said. As a technology retail company, Meituan showcased many of its businesses, including drones, automated delivery vehicles, and Meituan Pharmacy, at this year's CIFTIS.

"President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter provides a fundamental guideline for a wide range of service industry operators, including the tourism industry, to further expand opening up and promote high-quality development and expansion of service trade." Liang Jianzhang, co-founder and chairman of the board of directors of Trip.com Group, said that since the beginning of this year, a series of favorable policies have promoted the development of inbound tourism, and outbound tourism has also shown a good recovery and growth trend. As a tourism company, Trip.com will strive to seize the opportunities of opening up, achieve better development through technology and innovation, and help China's tourism industry achieve high-quality and stable development.

"The company has participated in CIFTIS for many consecutive years, and we have gained a lot each year, not only being able to exchange and interact with our peers, but also finding new directions for business cooperation." A staff member at the China Foreign Transportation exhibition booth said that at this year's CIFTIS, China Foreign Transportation showcased its comprehensive logistics services across sea, air, and rail, as well as cold chain and biodegradable pallet equipment and technologies. Benefiting from the rapid development of cross-border trade, the company has built a global logistics service network. In the future, China Foreign Transportation will continue to leverage its own advantages, deeply participate in the development of cross-border e-commerce business, and contribute to the high-quality development of import and export logistics services.

Ren Fen, secretary of the Party committee of Qunar, said, "We deeply feel that more friendly visa policies and a more open tourism environment have made tourism an important bridge for cultural and economic exchanges between China and other countries. Qunar will leverage its platform functions to tell China's stories and serve domestic and international travelers."

"The global influence of CIFTIS is growing." Qin Tianxiong, head of the overseas card business at Tencent WeChat Pay, said. As one of the first operators of digital RMB, Tencent participated in the financial services themed exhibition at this year's CIFTIS, showcasing a number of new measures to support the digital RMB pilot program based on cross-border business scenarios.

"Improving the standardization level of service trade is one of the important tasks for the high-quality development of service trade." Kang Yu, secretary-general of the Belt and Road Lawyers Alliance, said that in the future, he will continue to strive to promote the continuous improvement of regional economic and trade rules in the Belt and Road region, creating a better rule of law environment for cross-border trade.

During CIFTIS, on the evening of September 12, a "Shanxi Night" event, hosted by the Shanxi Provincial Government and jointly organized by the Provincial Department of Commerce, Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Provincial Bureau of Administration of Organs Affairs, and Provincial Investment Promotion Bureau, was launched in Beijing. This event, themed "Beijing's Colorful CIFTIS, Shanxi's Innovative Future," reflects Shanxi's new economic vitality and showcases Shanxi's new image. Yang Chunquan, secretary of the Party group and director of the Shanxi Provincial Investment Promotion Bureau, stated that they will make good use of the China International Fair for Trade in Services platform to continuously promote in-depth cooperation between Beijing and Shanxi, and promote innovative development of service trade.

Improving the Platform Function of Service Industry and Service Trade Opening Up

In his congratulatory message, President Xi Jinping pointed out: "Actively aligning with international high-standard rules for trade and economic cooperation, promoting the interoperability and compatibility of rules, regulations, administration, and standards in the service sector, expanding the opening up of the service market in an orderly manner, enhancing the functions of service industry and service trade opening platforms, and creating a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized."

"The CIFTIS is not only a platform for sharing business opportunities, but also a bridge for enterprises to connect with the world." Xiang Feng, vice president of YTO Express Co., Ltd., said. At this year's CIFTIS, YTO focuses on promoting cross-border e-commerce logistics services. Currently, YTO has continuously implemented more than 50 cross-border e-commerce logistics lines, gradually covering key countries and regions in Asia, Europe, America, and Oceania. "We will act as a logistics bridge connecting China with the world through a clear internationalization strategy, comprehensive supply chain logistics capabilities, and continuously improving logistics service quality, providing strong support for the internationalization of Chinese enterprises." Xiang Feng said.

"We hope to join hands with More ecosystem partners to build an open ecosystem of intelligent entities and promote the digital transformation of the service industry." Han Xinyi, president of Ant Group, said. At this year's CIFTIS, Alipay showcased several service intelligent entities in areas such as government affairs, travel, and healthcare, and released a public employment AI digital person, "Xiao Gu."

"The CIFTIS allows us to see more clearly the broad prospects for future development." Wang Geng, a solutions engineer at Beijing Jiuzhang Yunji Technology Co., Ltd., said, "In the future, we will further innovate and develop to meet users' personalized needs, provide diversified services, and better apply computing resources to practical needs."

As one of the two main guest provinces of this year's CIFTIS, Sichuan's exhibition booth is full of new ideas. A more than 3-meter-high intangible cultural heritage work, the "Hundred Flowers Fairy" colorful lantern group, attracted many visitors to check in. Zigong lanterns have been exhibited in a market-oriented manner to more than 80 countries and regions, attracting more than 500 million visitors worldwide and generating more than US$50 million in annual cultural exports. Sichuan will continue to focus on policies, industries, channels, and platforms to promote high-quality development of service trade through high-level opening up and accelerate the release of its advantageous potential.

"By leveraging the international platform of the CIFTIS, we can effectively showcase advanced technological concepts, scientific and technological products, low-altitude economy solutions, and application practice cases." He Tianxing, vice president of EHang Intelligent, said that the company's unmanned passenger aircraft has completed more than 50,000 safe flights in 16 countries around the world. In the future, it will strengthen cooperation with global partners in green transportation, low-altitude economy, and smart cities, focusing on new green aviation and sharing opportunities for the development of the low-altitude economy. (People's Daily reporters Ouyang Jie, Wang Ke, Wang Haonan, Qi Zhiming, Luo Shanshan, Qu Xinming, Ren Xiaoxia, Yang Xiaoyu, Lu Chang)