China's annual trade in services exceeds $1t, boasting significant potential

BEIJING -- China's annual trade in services exceeded $1 trillion for the first time last year, demonstrating significant potential for further growth.

China's services import and export value amounted to a record-high of 7.5 trillion yuan (about $1.05 trillion) in 2024, expanding 14.4 percent year-on-year, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC).

Exports grew 18.2 percent year-on-year and imports grew 11.8 percent, according to the MOC.

Driven by the global trends of digitization, smart technology advancement and green development, China's trade in services grew in scale, its structure was optimized further and its international competitiveness was enhanced in 2024, said Li Jun, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the MOC.

He noted that the comprehensive relaxation and optimization of China's visa-free transit policy has played a role in boosting inbound tourism over the last year.

The broadly welcomed new policy has sparked the rise of "China Travel", a popular hashtag on social media where many travelers share their experiences in China, with increasing numbers of international tourists being drawn by the country's cultural landmarks, nature and city walks.

"'China Travel' is booming rapidly, and this growth is expected to boost the country's services trade further, while helping to drive the global travel industry toward continued recovery and prosperity," Li said.

China's digital cultural platforms and content have been gaining significant traction overseas, Li said, noting the popularity of Chinese video game "Black Myth: Wukong", the distribution of high-quality Chinese films and TV dramas on overseas streaming platforms such as Netflix and YouTube, and the fact that Chinese internet literature is influencing an increasing number of international readers.

The Chinese government released a guideline on promoting the high-quality development of trade in services through high-standard opening-up in August last year.

The document offered robust policy support for the development of China's services trade, Li said, calling for more efforts to advance opening-up, innovation and international cooperation in the sector.

Noting that China established a nationwide negative list management system for cross-border trade in services last year, Li suggested that the level of institutional opening-up should be improved continuously, that the negative list should be shortened gradually as appropriate, and that high-standard international economic and trade rules should be aligned with actively.

He urged launching the construction of national demonstration zones for the innovative development of trade in services as soon as possible.

To facilitate innovation, Li called for the potential of industrial digitization and digital transformation to be unlocked, for support for the professional organizations offering services in finance, consulting, design and certification to enhance their ability to provide international services, and for the accelerated development of green services.

Bilateral, multilateral and regional collaboration in digital trade and trade in services should be expanded, Li said, suggesting that the role of major exhibition platforms should continue to be leveraged, and that international services trade cooperation parks should be developed.