China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), in coordination with eight other government departments, announced a set of measures on Wednesday aimed at strengthening the nation’s services export sector, according to the Xinhua News Agency. The announcement followed the conclusion of the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), held in Beijing from September 12 to 14, where officials highlighted the role of services in driving high-level opening-up and fostering new growth momentum in foreign trade.
The newly introduced 13-point framework provides support through financial tools, tax incentives, credit services, visa facilitation, and international data flow management. Local governments have been instructed to leverage central and regional funding to encourage emerging services export models, particularly in digital services, intellectual property, and supply chain solutions. Key areas identified include energy-saving services, carbon footprint accounting, and carbon trading management.
The measures also call for mobilizing private capital for services and digital trade, revising investment catalogues to steer development, and optimizing tax procedures to improve efficiency. Exporters will benefit from simplified zero-tax-rate declarations, greater interdepartmental coordination, and enhanced use of electronic documentation. Bonded supervision will be extended to eligible integrated circuits and consumer electronics used for domestic testing.
Visa and entry policies will be streamlined to make it easier for researchers, foreign-invested enterprise staff, and high-level talent to work in China, while inbound travel for tourism, conferences, medical treatment, and education will also be facilitated. Additionally, the measures support cross-border data services in free trade zones and ports, intellectual property trading, and legal assistance for firms expanding overseas.
China’s services trade recorded solid growth in the first seven months of 2025, reaching 4.58 trillion yuan ($643.97 billion), an 8.2% year-on-year increase. Exports rose 15.3% to nearly 2 trillion yuan, while imports edged up 3.3% to 2.58 trillion yuan, leaving a deficit of 581.56 billion yuan. Analysts said the measures will further consolidate this upward trend.
Experts emphasized that digitalization and green development are reshaping global services, positioning China to expand its role in the sector. “Digitalization has made it possible to deliver services across borders that were previously non-tradable,” said Li Yong, senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade. “The new measures are timely, aligning with global trends and China’s ongoing upgrade of services trade.”
The 2025 CIFTIS itself showcased the strength of China’s services sector, drawing nearly 2,000 companies for on-site participation and 5,600 online. Over 900 cooperation agreements and achievements were recorded across industries, including construction, IT, and finance.
Last week, Chinese authorities also unveiled a separate set of measures to stimulate domestic services consumption, underscoring the government’s broader strategy to elevate the tertiary sector as a key engine of economic growth. Hu Qimu, deputy secretary-general of Forum 50 for Digital-Real Economies Integration, noted that “in the future, the services industry will play an increasingly strong role in driving growth from the supply side.”
Reinforcing this message, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on September 15 that China will continue to act as a promoter of economic globalization and a defender of the multilateral trading system, pledging to contribute to stable supply chains while sharing the long-term benefits of institutional opening-up with the international community.
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