Ding Xuexiang attends 2026 Global Trade in Services Summit, meets foreign dignitaries

Summary

The 2026 Global Trade in Services Summit was held in Beijing on September 10. Ding Xuexiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, attended and delivered a keynote speech, putting forward three proposals: promoting high-quality development of the service industry, expanding new space for inclusive and mutually beneficial progress, and creating new engines through digital and intelligent empowerment. Yin Li, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC, delivered remarks.

Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Plev and the heads of UNCTAD and WIPO delivered speeches via video or in person. The summit was co-hosted by the Beijing Municipal People's Government, the Ministry of Commerce, UNCTAD and WIPO, with about 800 people attending. On the afternoon of September 9, Ding met with Plev and Chiwenga, and toured the exhibition hall after the meeting.

Commentary

As one of China's three major platforms for opening up through exhibitions, the CIFTIS summit signalled an institutional opening-up of trade in services. If Ding Xuexiang's proposal to 'reduce barriers to the cross-border flow of factors' is implemented, it would be a potential boon for New Zealand SMEs that rely on professional services exports—education consulting, agricultural technology and software services among them could explore cross-border delivery models. Cross-border data flows and intellectual property protection, however, remain practical hurdles: China's digital regulation is tightening, and NZ SMEs need to assess compliance costs in advance.

Tourism and education account for a high share of New Zealand's services exports, but digital services have grown rapidly since the pandemic. Companies should pay attention to China's cooperation intentions in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure, and look for joint development or remote service opportunities.

Keywords: Global Trade in Services Summit, Ding Xuexiang, trade in services, digital and intelligent empowerment, opening up and cooperation in services, high-standard opening up, Beijing, UNCTAD, World Intellectual Property Organization, Yin Li

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

2026年9月10日，全球服务贸易峰会在北京举行，中共中央政治局常委、国务院副总理丁薛祥出席并作主旨讲话。他提出3点建议：促进服务业高质量发展、拓展包容共进新空间、以数智赋能打造新引擎。中共中央政治局委员、北京市委书记尹力致辞，布隆迪总统恩达伊施米耶、津巴布韦副总统奇温加、保加利亚副总理普列夫及联合国贸发会议、世界知识产权组织负责人等视频或现场致辞。

峰会由北京市人民政府、商务部与联合国贸发会议、世界知识产权组织共同主办，约800人参加。丁薛祥9日下午会见普列夫、奇温加，会后巡馆。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

服贸会作为中国三大对外开放展会平台之一，此次峰会释放服务贸易制度型开放信号。丁薛祥提出的“减少要素跨境流动壁垒”若落地，对依赖专业服务出口的新西兰中小企业构成潜在利好——教育咨询、农业科技和软件服务等可探索跨境交付模式。另一方面，数据跨境流动与知识产权保护仍是现实门槛，中国数字监管趋严，NZ SME需提前评估合规成本。

新西兰服务出口中旅游与教育占比高，但疫情后数字服务增长快，企业应关注中国在人工智能、数字基建领域合作意向，寻找联合开发或远程服务机会。

关键词: 全球服务贸易峰会, 丁薛祥, 服务贸易, 数智赋能, 服务业开放合作, 高水平对外开放, 北京, 联合国贸发会议, 世界知识产权组织, 尹力

Source: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in New Zealand