Beijing Fair to Boost Service Trade under the 13th 5-Year-Plan
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An annual international trade fair will be held in Beijing soon, and insiders say it will bring new opportunities to the country's service sector.

Zhao Zhongqian is the deputy director of China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges with Chinese ministry of Commerce.

He says this year's event will start the new era of trade in services under the 13th 5-year-plan.

"This year's fair is held in the initiative year of the China's 13th five-year-plan, it will highlight national strategies such as "the Belt and Road" initiative, coordinated development strategy of Beijing,Tianjin and Hebei province, in fields of science, information and technology, cultural, education, finance, commercial logistics, tourism and healthcare."

First held in 2012, China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services covers all of the 12 sectors of trade in services defined by the WTO.

Delegates from 154 countries have sealed deals worth of some 220 billion US dollars.

The State Council has given the green light to Beijing's pilot program to open up the service sector in 2015, making the capital the first city in China to start a trial run.

Statistics indicates that the service industry contributes the most to local economy.

Last year, the service industry sector added value accounts for over 80% in the local GDP for the first time.

Chief operating officer of UK Trade and Investment Julia Voo says the city has huge opportunities to upgrade its service industry as the sector has already become the driving force of local economy.

"There's more that China can do. In a lot of areas of services in China remain closed, not open internationally. I think the pilot the Beijing municipality is taking forward to explore will benefit people and economy. Also we look forward greatly to working with Beijing municipality on that pilot. Relations between the UK and China are at a historic high after the state visit by President Xi to the UK last year. Both Chinese leaders and Britain leaders have declare that there's a golden era in our relations. So the climate is positive for mutual understanding in services."

Julia Voo says he is looking forward to deeper cooperation between the two countries in health, financial and air space technology services.

The upcoming trade fair will also highlight the business opportunities related to the "one belt and one road" initiative, or the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.

Under the initiatives, highways, railways and air routes will be established, and Chinese regions will further integrate resources, policies and markets to connect with other countries.

Delegates from 9 countries along the belt and road will participate in this year's trade fair.

Commercial attache Arunas Karlonas with Lithuania's embassy in China says the two countries have great cooperation potential in developing the European Union market.

"I think that at my country we are focusing to take the part of technology side and relation side in "one belt, one road" strategy, also my country can suggest new ways to do research, new ways to do business in European Union. It's a common market, and we could be as a strategy partner to get into the European Union market."

The next trade fair is set to be held on May 28 to June 1, 2016.

Author： 　　　Source：xinhua　　　 Editor：Yang Fan