Forums, activities launched at 2024 CIFTIS

Various parallel forums and other sub-level activities including a convention covering e-commerce, digital economy and the green economy have been launched at the five-day 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Service (CIFTIS) that opened in Beijing on Thursday, providing platforms for dialogue and exchange.

At the forums, e-commerce emerged as a hot topic. In 2023, China's e-commerce sector grew by 10.11 percent year-on-year, with cross-border e-commerce increasing by 15.6 percent and the number of related companies reaching 70,000.

At the China E-commerce Convention, guests share experience in smart e-commerce, green transformation, innovation and customer experience.

At the Third Forum on Meteorology and Economy, several innovative results were unveiled. To address the impact of climate change on health, metereological authorities have collaborated with scientific and technological research institutions to develop products for weather forecasting and early warning about meteorological risks, with the display of living weather indices.

"For instance, we have established a system for pollen allergy monitoring, one of the health indices. We will continue to provide better services for the public," said Xu Xiaofeng, president of the China Meteorological Service Association.

The Forum on Trends and Latest Developments in Digital Trade provides opportunities for enterprises to promote digital transformation and trade.

"The mental model we've developed is capable of helping us mobilize and planning tools. Large-scale AI models are bringing disruptive changes to the digital engine of the industry through their contemplative and planning capabilities," said Wu Tian, vice-chairman of Baidu.

On the occasion of the 2024 CIFTIS, the Ministry of Commerce has launched the 2024 publicity month initiative to promote business integrity and build a better business and consumption environment.

Forums, activities launched at 2024 CIFTIS

Forums, activities launched at 2024 CIFTIS

The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Sunday released a short video of its combat training activities, showing the PLA is ready for operations at all times.

The video was released a day before the theater command organized its troops of army, navy, air force and rocket force to conduct "Joint Sword-2024B" drills in the Taiwan Strait and the north, south and east of the island of Taiwan.

Li Xi, the spokesperson for the theater command, said the drills involve vessels and planes closing in on the island from multiple directions and assaults by joint forces.

The drills focus on joint sea-air combat readiness patrol, the blockade and control of key ports and areas, strikes on sea and land targets, and the seizure of comprehensive battlefield control, so as to test the joint real-combat capabilities of the forces of the command, Li said.

The drills are a powerful deterrent to the separatist activities of "Taiwan independence" elements, and are legitimate and necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and national unity, Li said.

PLA releases short video on combat training activities