Forums improve and expand cross-border technology industry

The distribution services exhibition at the fifth China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services focuses on improving and expanding opportunities in cross-border investment and high-tech industries, according its organizers.

The event, also known as CIFTIS, has been co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Beijing government since 2012. It is an international platform for China and other countries to cooperate in trade in services, the organizers said.

The distribution services exhibition, taking place as part of the State-level event, offers six sub-forums covering bilateral investment and the global creative economy, according to Tan Chenghai, director of the World Trade Point Federation's Beijing branch, a co-organizer of the sector-specific exhibition.

Officials, experts and business representatives from home and abroad are discussing issues related to the creative economy and sustainable investment in the industry while also showing their latest technological achievements.

"We hope to use CIFTIS as a platform to promote exchanges in trade services between China and other countries, and enhance cooperation and communications between companies," Tan said.

The Beijing Commission of Commerce is launching a mutual investment forum for distribution services on Tuesday, aiming to help improve the investment environment.

"China's investment sector has reached a stage where we should put equal emphasis on investing abroad and attracting foreign investment," said Guo Hongyu, deputy director of the foreign economic cooperation department at the commission.

According to Guo, the commission is releasing policies at the forum related to facilitating investment, and is announcing cooperation programs involving energy and infrastructure construction.

Beijing Xloong Technologies, an augmented reality technology startup founded in 2015, will make its debut at an AR industry development forum and display products that use its tech, such as industrial smart glasses.

Innovative AR tech is being applied in many industrial fields, and the transformation and upgrade of traditional industries need the support this tech offers, said Zhang Wei, operations director at the company.

"AR technology is in its infancy," he said. "We want to take the chance to cooperate with our international peers to enhance exchanges and remove barriers in the AR field."

Dongxu Optoelectronic, a subsidiary of Tunghsu Group that produces graphene-based flexible batteries, was founded in Beijing last year.

Beijing is building itself into a global innovation center and provides fertile ground for producing the graphene, a very thin and strong material that consists of a single layer of carbon atoms, said Shi Chenxing, general manager of Xujiang Technology.

"Settling in the city is conducive to our production of innovative products and proximity to relevant policy support," he said.

At the forum, the company is demonstrating the use of its batteries in the AR field.

AR technology can change and empower the traditional industries covering vehicles, cell phones and entertainment, Shi said.

"As a kind of new technology, we hope AR can be applied to more industries."

In addition to the forums, exhibitions from countries including Spain and Russia, and signing ceremonies related to medical, tourism and cultural exchanges between China and Russia will be launched at the distribution services exhibition at CIFTIS.

liangkaiyan@chinadaily.com.cn