The 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) concluded on Friday in Xiamen of east China's Fujian Province with record global participation, dynamic project matchmaking, and strengthened cross-border financial cooperation.
During the four-day event, more than 100,000 businesspeople from 129 countries and regions across the world attended in person, with both the number of participating countries and regions and the number of delegations reaching record highs, highlighting the robust global demand for investment cooperation and opportunities in China.
At the fair, the "Cloud CIFIT" platform released over 4,700 projects and facilitated more than 19,000 online matchmaking sessions. Meanwhile, 130 high-quality projects in the signature "Foreseeing the Future" capital project achieved business matchmaking and connections.
A dedicated zone for the Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) made a concentrated appearance at this year's CIFIT, with 74 key banks from 46 countries and regions participating as exhibitors. The CIPS signed agreements with 11 foreign banks as direct participants, further enhancing its global service capacity.
"We brought our firsthand observations of RMB application scenarios and commercial services to this CIFIT. We see that China's institutional opening-up, the internationalization of the renminbi, the overseas expansion needs of Chinese enterprises, and South-South cooperation are all certain trends," said Lu Jing, president and vice chairwoman of Standard Chartered Bank (China) Ltd.
This year's CIFIT also carried out investment negotiations and matchmaking exchanges centered on emerging industries such as artificial intelligence and the digital economy.
"During this CIFIT, we also reached multiple intentions. We hope more countries and local governments can gain a deeper understanding of our AI capabilities and the entire ecosystem of AI tokens going global," said Lu Yang, general manager of Unisound (Xiamen) Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.
Xiamen investment fair ends with record global participation, major cross-border payment deals
Xiamen investment fair ends with record global participation, major cross-border payment deals
Xiamen investment fair ends with record global participation, major cross-border payment deals
High-quality tilapia raised in Maoming City of south China's Guangdong Province now has greater access to dinner tables across the Asia-Pacific, as China deepens trade ties with regional markets.
In Maoming, tilapia ponds cover more than 17,000 hectares, making the city one of the world's major tilapia production hubs.
The city has been developing its tilapia industry for more than six decades, building it into a sector now worth over 1.4 billion U.S. dollars across the entire supply chain. Its products are sold in more than 70 countries and regions, including markets throughout the Asia-Pacific.
Early in the morning, while mist still hangs over the ponds, fish farmers are already out hauling in the catch. "The workers arrived at the pond at around 05:30 this morning. There are 17 people here to pull in the net. There's quite a lot of fish in this net, about 75 tonnes. That's why it's taking longer to haul it in," said Chen Wenqiang, head of the Aquaculture Department of a local agricultural technology company.
Chen belongs to a new generation of aquaculture professionals who emphasize eco-friendly practices to further improve fish quality.
"Fish need beneficial bacteria to keep their digestive systems healthy. Good fish farming starts with good water, so [the pond] also needs probiotics for better water quality. That is why we add probiotics during the fish farming process to improve both the fish's gut health and water quality. This helps keep the fish healthier and enables us to use fewer or no chemical materials, which makes our fish safer to eat," he said.
China is the world's leading tilapia producer and exporter, and much of Maoming's harvest is destined for overseas markets. Once taken from the ponds, the fish are quickly transported to processing plants, where they are sorted, cleaned and filleted before being frozen for shipment.
The latest data shows the city exported 74,000 tonnes of tilapia in the first half of 2026, up more than 51 percent year on year.
The foundation of this large-scale industry lies in high-quality fish fry, whose quality determines growth speed, disease resistance and, ultimately, the quality of the final product that reaches consumers.
"We have been operating for 22 years. We have achieved leading technical capabilities in areas such as selective breeding, nutrition, and land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Furthermore, we have brought together a team of world-class experts, and we currently hold a leading position in the market," said Cai Xingqi, general manager of a local fish fry breeding company.
Maoming's tilapia industry stands as a fine example of food trade between China and other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies. In the first three quarters of 2026, food trade between the two sides reached nearly 120 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for more than half of China's total food trade.
China’s tilapia ascends to dining tables of Asia-Pacific countries
