The 25th China International Fair for Investment & Trade will be held in Xiamen in September, focusing on three major sectors: investing in China, China's investment, and international investment, featuring 70+ thematic events, 100+ roadshows, showcasing new global investment opportunities.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
On August 26, the State Council Information Office held a press conference in Beijing. Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy International Trade Representative Ling Ji, Vice Governor of Fujian Province Wang Jinfu, Director of the Investment Promotion Agency of the Ministry of Commerce Liu Minqiang, and Vice Mayor of Xiamen Lin Zhicheng introduced the relevant situation of the 25th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) and answered questions from reporters. Photo by Pan Xu, Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, August 26Title: Focusing on 'Invest in China,' 'China Investment,' and 'International Investment'—Highlights of the 25th China International Fair for Investment and Trade
By Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Xiyao
The 25th China International Fair for Investment and Trade will be held in Xiamen, Fujian Province, from September 8 to 11. As China's only national-level major exhibition with investment as its theme, what are the highlights of this year's CIFIT? What investment opportunities will it bring? The State Council Information Office held a press conference on August 26 to introduce the relevant situation and address public concerns.
'Hosting the CIFIT well is conducive to promoting international cooperation in industrial and supply chains, which is of great significance for advancing high-level opening-up and high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road,' said Ling Ji, Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy International Trade Representative.
He introduced that this year's CIFIT, themed 'Joining Hands with China to Invest in the Future,' will focus on three major sections: 'Invest in China,' 'China Investment,' and 'International Investment.' It will set up an exhibition area of approximately 120,000 square meters and host over 70 investment-themed events and more than 100 thematic roadshows.
Specifically, the 'Invest in China' activities are rich in content. Nearly 100 multinational companies from sectors such as energy, chemicals, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and smart manufacturing, as well as heads of several sovereign wealth funds and international investment institutions, have confirmed their participation. Additionally, over 100 hidden champion companies from Europe and Asia will attend.
Innovatively building the 'China Investment' platform. The 'China Investment' exhibition area features three sections: overseas investment cooperation, comprehensive overseas services, and the Silk Road Maritime, showcasing Chinese enterprises' investment cooperation achievements and landmark projects worldwide to promote international cooperation in industrial and supply chains. The Ministry of Commerce will organize multiple chambers to release the China Outbound Investment Activity Index for the first time.
The 'International Investment' section is more attractive. Over 110 delegations from countries, regions, and international organizations have registered to attend, with 51 countries and regions setting up exhibitions. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will concurrently host the Future Investment Conference, while international organizations such as the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) and the New Development Bank of BRICS will hold thematic seminars.
Wang Jinfu, Vice Governor of Fujian Province, said that this year's exhibition will focus on industrial frontiers, featuring sections such as new quality productive forces and international cooperation for specialized and sophisticated SMEs. Interactive spaces like the intelligent robot performance area and low-altitude flight simulation zone will be created, with over 140 companies from related fields already confirmed to participate.
As the guest country of honor for this year's CIFIT, the UK will send a delegation of nearly 200 people, including government officials, enterprises, and associations, to attend and host a series of exchange activities.
Currently, the UK is China's second-largest direct investment destination in Europe and the third-largest source of foreign investment in Europe. 'In 2024, the trade volume of goods and services between China and the UK exceeded $130 billion, meaning $360 million worth of goods and services are traded between the two countries every day,' Ling Ji said.
Enhancing project matchmaking efficiency is another feature of this year's CIFIT. Institutions such as China Investment Corporation, Bank of China, and CITIC Group will organize project matchmaking sessions. The China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China will also host several thematic events to provide financial support for enterprises going global. Notably, this year's CIFIT will also feature a China-U.S. subnational economic and trade cooperation exchange event.
Currently, global economic growth lacks momentum, and various trade and investment barriers are increasing, leading to a noticeable slowdown in cross-border investment. Ling Ji pointed out that against this backdrop, the enthusiastic participation of nearly 100 multinational executives and heads of international investment institutions in this year's CIFIT demonstrates that China still holds enormous potential for attracting investment. China's ultra-large market, efficient and complete industrial and supply chains, and the rich application scenarios brought by the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation collectively illustrate that 'investing in China is investing in the future.'
'China is now both a major destination for foreign investment and a major global investor,' Ling Ji said. In recent years, guided by the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, China's outbound investment has grown steadily and healthily, demonstrating strong resilience and vitality. In 2024, China's outbound investment reached $162.78 billion, a 10.1% increase from the previous year. Since 2012, China's outbound investment flow has ranked among the top three globally for 13 consecutive years.
In 2024, China's direct investment in Belt and Road partner countries grew by 22.9% year-on-year, accounting for 26.5% of the country's total outbound investment. Currently, 77 Belt and Road partner countries and regions have confirmed their participation, with several partner countries hosting bilateral investment promotion events.
(Editor: Jia Wenting, Zhang Yue)