Australia was the Guest Country of Honour at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing in September – the first time Australia has held such an honour at a national trade show in Mainland China.
This achievement was the result of a two-year effort by Austrade, who worked tirelessly to position Australia at the forefront of this global trade showcase.
The presence of senior Chinese officials, Australia’s Ambassador to China Mr Scott Dewar and Austrade Deputy CEO Daniel Boyer at the event highlighted the depth of bilateral cooperation.
Showcasing Australia’s services capabilities to China
Inside, 58 exhibitors represented sectors from green economy and education to tourism, financial services, health, and consumer goods.
Notable participants included ANZ, CPA Australia, Adelaide University, Woodside Energy, Treasury Wine Estates, Worley, Goodman, ICON, Woods Bagot, and Macquarie Group.
The results speak for themselves:
- 21 agreements signed during the event, including 15 collaboration agreements signed across education, finance, health, culture and consumer industries.
- Three exhibitors recognised for best practices in trade in services (Canva, xSpaces and Macquarie University).
- Unprecedented media reach with over 216 billion mentions of ‘Australia and CIFTIS’ from May to September, with 47 billion during the event.
CIFTIS 2025 hosted more than 2,000 onsite exhibitors and 5,600 online exhibitors, and attracted 280,000 business visitors. Around 750,000 members of the public also attended the event.
Australian National Pavilion at CIFTIS.
An immersive experience at the Australian National Pavilion
Occupying a prime space in the National Pavilion Hall, the Australian National Pavilion showcased the scale and strength of Australia’s services sector. The opening ceremony featured video remarks from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell, underscoring the significance of the event.
With support from Tourism Australia, the pavilion offered immersive experiences, including an AI-powered photo booth by Sencity and Canva, allowing visitors to “see themselves” in Australia.
Growing services trade with China
In 2024, goods and services trade between Australia and China was worth $312 billion (25% of Australia’s total trade). China is Australia’s largest services export market, worth $16.8 billion in 2024 (13.3% of total services exports).
China’s services sector is now a larger contributor to GDP than manufacturing – creating major opportunities for Australian providers.
For more information about opportunities in China’s services sector, contact Austrade’s team in China.
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