The First In-Person Event in China Since the COVID-19 Pandemic Draws Huge Crowds

International Service Trade Fair Limits Daily Participants to 22,000
Korean SMEs Encouraged by In-Person Consultations

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] At 2 p.m. on the 7th, at the National Convention Center in Beijing Olympic Park, China. The first offline international event held in Beijing since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) was literally packed with people.

The Chinese government and Beijing city authorities limited the number of daily visitors to 22,000 due to the high number of applicants wishing to participate.

The "China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS)," which opened with a ceremony at 8 p.m. on the 4th and welcomed general participants from the 5th, is considered one of China's three major exhibitions alongside the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo.

This event featured 17,158 domestic and foreign companies from China, of which 2,266 operated offline booths.

The "China International Fair for Trade in Services" will be held at the National Convention Center in Beijing Olympic Park, China, until the 9th. This fair is the first offline event held in China since the COVID-19 pandemic.

◇ Korean Pavilion Encouraged by Face-to-Face Consultations = Korean companies also set up offline booths, welcoming Chinese buyers and general participants. According to officials at the Korean Pavilion, many buyers visited the Korean booths because face-to-face meetings had been impossible due to the spread of COVID-19.

Park Min-young, head of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) Beijing branch, said, "We have conducted about 50 consultations over the three days since the opening on the 5th," adding, "More than 200 Chinese buyers participated in surveys, showing a positive response."

KOTRA's China headquarters, which organized a promotional pavilion focusing on popular Korean cosmetics in China, also held nearly 30 consultations. They placed greater significance on face-to-face consultations with Chinese buyers who showed strong interest in Korean products rather than the consultation amounts. Since meetings with Chinese buyers had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event holds great meaning.

At the site, Chui Guang-le, CEO of Yidaihuo (易帶貨), told reporters, "Chinese youth increasingly prefer designs that allow them to express themselves compared to the past," adding, "There is strong interest in Korean sports brands such as sneakers." He added, "I operate an online mall on WeChat and want to sell Korean products using live commerce and other methods."

◇ Promoting Confidence in COVID-19 Control Domestically and Internationally = Despite COVID-19 not being over, the Chinese government and Beijing city authorities proceeded with the event to demonstrate that China is a 'COVID-19 safe zone.' This reflects their confidence in epidemic prevention.

Chinese state media such as the People's Daily and Xinhua News Agency praised the international service trade event held in Beijing as a result of China's successful epidemic control.

Above all, the event implicitly conveys that the global economy will not easily recover if China is excluded. Amid escalating US-China conflicts, there is a belief that economic power will become China's strongest weapon.

The first offline international event since the COVID-19 pandemic was held in China.

◇ China's Dual Circulation Strategy Ambition = China's dual circulation strategy aims to include domestic demand in its manufacturing- and export-centered economic structure.

A diplomatic source said, "Looking at Beijing's urban planning, there is a policy focus on the service sector," adding, "The Chinese government and Beijing city authorities intend to strengthen service content on top of political status."

This event also started as part of that effort, and the industry consensus is that it will continue to grow in the future.

In fact, President Xi Jinping said in a video congratulatory message at the opening ceremony on the night of the 4th, "Let us create an open and inclusive cooperative environment together. We must create a win-win cooperation phase."

President Xi further emphasized, "Although the sudden COVID-19 has hindered our gatherings for a while, it cannot stop the progress of service trade development, cooperation, and mutually prosperous actions."

◇ Fear of COVID-19 Still Remains = Although the Chinese government confidently holds large-scale offline events, fears of COVID-19 still persist.

Beijing city authorities required all personnel residing at the venue, including booth operators and staff from each country, to undergo nucleic acid testing in advance.

Participants must show their COVID-19 health status application (app) upon entering the venue. This is the same level of preventive measures that were strengthened during the cluster infection at Xinfadi Market in June.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.