American companies in China are seeing renewed opportunities across finance, healthcare, and cutting-edge technologies, as the easing of trade tensions and direct presidential engagement signal a more stable environment for bilateral commerce, according to Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China.
Hart made the remarks on the sidelines of the 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), which kicked off Tuesday in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province. The Fair has drawn government and business delegations from over 120 countries and regions, with two-way investment as the main theme.
"AmCham China has about 800 member companies across many sectors. So finance is certainly one where we look for continued opportunities. But healthcare is also a very dynamic area where we see companies innovating, spending more money on R and D, working with Chinese companies. Everything from technology in terms of chips, robotics, AI, they continue to be opportunities for our members here in China," Hart said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with U.S. President Donald Trump on Oct. 30, 2025, in Busan, South Korea, and again on May 15, 2026, in Beijing.
Hart said the two meetings between the two leaders have contributed to greater stability in bilateral trade.
"2025 was a very tough year in terms of ups and downs in the trade war. In 2026, we've seen a lot more stability. At the end of 2025, the two Presidents met in Busan that brought us some level of stability. So we started up 2026 with more stability. Our member companies continue to see China as an important market. So one of the things that we really were pleased about was in May when the two Presidents met here in Beijing. So we think it's important for the leaders to meet one on one. This sends a signal to both governments and also to companies to give us confidence that U.S.-China trade will continue and is important," Hart said.
2026 brings more stability to China-US relations after tough 2025: AmCham China president
Norwegian Ambassador to China Vebjorn Dysvik said Wednesday that the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) offers a strong platform for developing new partnerships, as a record number of Norwegian companies attend.
Running through Sept. 13 at Shougang Park, a former industrial site and a venue for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the fair has drawn participants from 90 countries, regions and international organizations, with over 1,800 companies exhibiting on-site. Among them are 473 Fortune Global 500 firms and other industry leaders, including Honeywell, Johnson and Johnson, and Siemens.
During the fair, more than 190 forums, conferences, and business negotiation and promotion events will be held, along with 74 supporting activities and 11 business tour itineraries.
Norway is this year's guest country of honor at CIFTIS, and its exhibition area showcases Norway's distinctive industries and innovative achievements.
"It's a great opportunity and we can see this from the number of Norwegian companies that show up. And we have a record number of companies this year because our companies see that this is a good platform to develop all partnerships, but also to create new partnerships," said Vebjorn Dysvik, Norwegian Ambassador to China.
This year, for the first time, the fair has established an exhibition area for Chinese services in the core exhibition zone, showcasing innovative achievements and exemplary cases in the field of trade in services.
In addition, special zones were set up for the first time in several thematic exhibitions to provide professional support for Chinese enterprises looking to expand into international markets.
"The exhibition area for overseas service providers features 28 companies offering services overseas. It covers a wide range of topics, including accounting and auditing, human resources, intellectual property, consulting services, financial services, and digital marketing software services. In addition, we have invited 41 firms to participate in the overseas service recommendation roadshow, providing attendees with a one-stop solution for overseas expansion," said Zhao Fangqi, staff member at the fair.
This year's event also highlights the application of cutting-edge technologies in the service trade sector, while the sports and cultural tourism service exhibition areas feature numerous innovative interactive experiences.
Some exhibitors expressed their hope to meet the new service demands driven by the artificial intelligence (AI) era through more innovative approaches.
Norwegian ambassador hails CIFTIS as partnership platform
