With less than a month remaining before the opening of CIFTIS, how are preparations progressing, and what new highlights can be expected from the exhibitions? Reporters conducted on-site visits for a closer look.

More Open: New Entry Policies to Facilitate International Engagement

It was learned that exhibitor recruitment for both the thematic and specialized exhibitions has been largely completed. Nearly 70 countries and international organizations have indicated their intention to participate by setting up booths or hosting events. The nine major specialized exhibitions have attracted interest from more than 800 companies to exhibit offline, including over 330 Fortune Global 500 companies and leading industry enterprises. The overall internationalization rate of the exhibition exceeds 20%, covering 24 of the top 30 countries and regions in global service trade.

Yang Huasen, Spokesperson of Beichen Group, stated that over 170 forums, conferences, and promotional events have already been scheduled. More than 70 companies, including Schneider Electric, have applied to release over 130 new products and achievements during the event.

To further facilitate international engagement, this year’s CIFTIS continues to expand on entry facilitation measures initiated last year, such as setting up immigration service counters at the venue. This year, seven new convenience measures will be implemented, including: allowing foreign participants with official invitations to apply for port visas at Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport; offering online accommodation registration services for foreign visitors; and streamlining the business travel filing process for Chinese enterprises attending events in Hong Kong and Macau.

Australia, as the guest of honor country, will have an unprecedented exhibition scale at this year’s event. Nearly 60 institutions and enterprises will form the Australian National Pavilion. Daniela Assis, the Economic and Commercial Counselor of the Australian Embassy in China, expressed: “The bilateral trade relationship between Australia and China is marked by strong complementarity, with stable cultural ties and significant achievements in cooperation across various fields. Australia is honored to be the guest of honor at the 2025 CIFTIS and looks forward to more communication and exchanges with attendees and visitors.”

Dale Pinto, the Global President and Chairman of the Board of CPA Australia, remarked, “CIFTIS provides a platform for us to enhance our brand recognition, engage with other organizations, and explore new cooperation opportunities. Participation in the fair not only raises the visibility of CPA Australia but also strengthens our relationship with Chinese partners, laying a solid foundation for future development.”

More Focused: From “Two Venues” to “One Unified Venue”

In contrast to previous CIFTIS events, which were held at both the National Convention Center and Shougang Park, this year’s event will be held entirely at Shougang Park in Shijingshan District, Beijing. Since CIFTIS moved to Shougang Park in 2021, the venue has fostered a new ecosystem for integrated consumption across culture, business, sports, tourism, and entertainment, covering the full spectrum of “eat, stay, travel, shop, and enjoy.”

Jiang Nan, Deputy General Manager of Shougang Group Co., Ltd., explained that Shougang Park will fully host CIFTIS activities this year. The core exhibition area will exceed 100,000 square meters, with green spaces and public areas also open to the public. These spaces are designed to foster human-to-human and human-to-scene interactions, enhancing the overall attendee experience. “We are upgrading Shougang Park to version 5.0 for the fair, planning a convention town, and creating a new exhibition ecosystem by integrating the ‘Two Parks and One River’.”

In addition to optimizing and upgrading the spatial layout, Shougang Park has also introduced a double-decker sightseeing bus and enhanced the night view framework of “Two Axes—Two Zones—Two Lakes—Multiple Centers.” Scenic viewpoints will be established to meet the quick transfer and sightseeing needs of visitors. The Shougang Park Operations Service Center has integrated data on foot traffic, vehicle flow, and other aspects of the exhibition area, enabling centralized scheduling and further improving service quality.

Hu Hao, Deputy District Governor of Shijingshan District, explained that the district has fully coordinated local resources, driving improvements with a dual approach of technology and services. Focus is being placed on key areas such as transportation, accommodation, and dining to enhance support capabilities. “There are currently 72 specialty restaurants around Shougang Park. During CIFTIS, temporary commercial facilities will be added in areas like Gaoxian Park and the Ski Jump site to meet the diverse dining needs of attendees.”

More Integrated: Multi-faceted Integration of Culture, Business, Tourism, and Sports Creates Diverse Consumption Scenarios

Beijing is also leveraging the CIFTIS platform to create diverse service consumption scenarios. Wan Weiwei, Deputy Director of the Beijing International Trade in Services Affairs Center, noted: “By emphasizing interactive experiences, CIFTIS will integrate service consumption with culture, business, and tourism, using unique venues such as blast furnaces to host engaging activities.”

Lin Zengwei, Second-Level Inspector at the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, added that over 40 supporting events will be held across Beijing, including cultural tourism and sports activities. At the heart of this is Shougang Park, which will host 11 unique activities, such as events at Big Air Shougang, to further enrich sectors like “ticket-stub economy” and “night economy.”

During CIFTIS, business negotiations, exploring the history of the Beijing West Ancient Path, and enjoying the Olympic spirit at Big Air Shougang… The “Big Air Shougang—Moshikou Camel Caravan Road—Shougang Industrial Heritage” Themed Tourism Route in Western Beijing is being planned to integrate culture, tourism, and consumption. During the event, Beijing will organize business inspection tours for exhibitors and visitors, focusing on areas such as technological empowerment, investment promotion, industrial tourism, cultural heritage, and the night economy. Around 10 business inspection routes will be designed and launched.

To strengthen the interconnection between CIFTIS and the surrounding areas, Shijingshan District will also open a special driverless transport service, connecting the exhibition area with the Yongding River waterfront. This initiative is part of a broader effort to connect the fair with surrounding cultural and ecological attractions. Projects like the Xishan Yongding River Cultural Belt Greenway in Shijingshan will be showcased before the fair opens, providing an enhanced visitor experience and easier access to cultural and natural attractions.
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