China to further relax market access for cross-border service trade, MOC

Updated: September 2, 2022 Source: Belt and Road Portal
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Photo shows the venue of the 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) at Shougang Park in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

China will further relax market access for cross-border service trade, Wang Shouwen, Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy China International Trade Representative said on Thursday during the 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS).

The country will promote implementation of the negative lists on cross-border service trade in pilot free trade zones and nationwide, according to Wang.

China will continue building open platforms, said Wang, adding that the country will start constructing the first batch of national service trade innovative development demonstration zones this year.

The vice minister also mentioned that the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) is promoting the introduction of policies and measures on the development of digital trade and service trade, and stepping up efforts to support development of emerging bonded business forms such as biomedical research and development, integrated circuit testing, and cultural relics identification services.

Meanwhile, the MOC is striving to add a number of characteristic service export bases to promote characteristic service trade concerning areas such as intellectual property rights, geographic information, and human resources, according to Wang.

The value of China's service imports and exports in 2021 grew 16 percent year on year, hitting a record high of 821.2 billion U.S. dollars. 

Editor: Jiang Feifan