Xiamen, China - September 10, 2026 - On September 8, the 26th China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT) opened in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China. With the permanent theme of “Expanding Two-Way Investment, Promoting Global Development,” the fair revolves around three major sections: “Invest in China,” “China’s Outbound Investment,” and “International Investment.” It features a 200,000-square-meter exhibition area, 14 specialized exhibition zones, 46 themed events, and 52 project roadshows. More than 1,200 government official agencies and business delegations from 129 countries and regions and 30 international organizations have registered to attend.
First-Ever “Dual Guest Countries of Honor” and “Dual Guest Provinces of Honor”
This year’s CIFIT innovatively established Finland and Saudi Arabia as “Dual Guest Countries of Honor” for the first time. The Finland National Pavilion covers approximately 300 square meters, integrating Nordic polar natural scenery with technological elements such as low-carbon technology and smart manufacturing; the Saudi Arabia National Pavilion covers a total of 475 square meters, with green as its main tone, focusing on promoting investment opportunities in energy and chemicals, advanced manufacturing, and other fields. It is reported that China is Finland’s largest trading partner in Asia and fourth largest globally. Last year, bilateral trade exceeded USD 8 billion, and two-way investment stock exceeded USD 23 billion. China is Saudi Arabia’s largest trading partner, and Saudi Arabia is China’s largest trading partner in the Arab region, with bilateral trade exceeding USD 100 billion for four consecutive years. Results in two-way investment have also been quite remarkable.
The “Dual Guest Provinces of Honor” are Qinghai Province and Guangdong Province. Qinghai Province has set up a 720-square-meter pavilion, highlighting investment cooperation opportunities in green resources, digital computing power, salt lake new materials, and other fields, and will hold economic and trade exchange activities such as the Investment in Qinghai Key Industries Promotion Conference. Guangdong and Fujian are connected by mountains and rivers and share close cultural ties, and both are pioneering provinces in reform and opening up. This time, Guangdong has organized 21 prefecture-level cities and key enterprises to participate, setting up a 720-square-meter themed pavilion to showcase representative technologies and products in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence and the marine economy.
Upgraded Investment and Financing Services, with New Quality Productive Forces in Focus
This year’s CIFIT has upgraded its investment and financing services by setting up the “Foresee the Future” Capital-Project Matchmaking Pavilion in Hall 1, focusing on 9 core industry tracks and X public welfare tracks, creating a full-chain investment promotion ecosystem that integrates project display, roadshow matchmaking, capital linkage, and industrial empowerment. Inside the pavilion, a visual “Project Supermarket” and a “Table Host System” capital-project matchmaking zone have been launched, connecting online and offline investment and financing links in both directions, screening high-quality projects in batches for investment institutions, and building a national-level platform for scientific and technological innovation projects across the country to directly face top-tier capital.
Walking into the New Quality Productive Forces Zone in Hall 2, a sense of technology rushes toward you. The AI section features a rich “robot lineup”-- humanoid robots, AI companion robots, robot bands, as well as four-axis and six-axis collaborative robots, unmanned forklifts, and other industrial equipment are showcased together. Special embodied intelligent devices such as substation inspection wheel-legged robot dogs and high-altitude power line inspection robots demonstrate the practical application of robots in high-risk operations such as power inspections.
This year’s CIFIT also innovatively created the “CIFIT Premium Goods Purchase” consumer-themed exhibition area, linking global quality goods and unlocking more consumer experience scenarios. In terms of smart conference services, the newly upgraded “Cloud CIFIT” system allows project matchmaking, conference activities, accommodation, catering, transportation, and other needs to all be handled with a single mobile phone. On site, robots also provide services such as welcoming and guiding participants, information Q&A, and booth guidance.
Foreign Investors Optimistic About the Chinese Market, Investment Confidence Continues to Strengthen
Participating foreign investors generally stated that with its super-large market, continuously optimized business ecosystem, constantly improving innovation capacity, and highly predictable policy environment, China’s high-quality development has strong resilience, strong vitality, and broad prospects, making it an ideal investment destination for global capital seeking steady layout and promising value.
Citing data from the chamber’s “2026 Special Report on the Economic Situation in South China,” Seyedin said: “75% of enterprises plan to reinvest in China this year. It is expected that member enterprises’ profit reinvestment budget in China over the next three to five years will reach USD 13.79 billion. This is undoubtedly a strong vote of confidence in the resilience and development potential of the Chinese market.”
Data from China’s Ministry of Commerce show that in the first half of the year, nearly 4,800 foreign-funded enterprises increased their investment in China, and in the first seven months, more than 37,700 new foreign-funded enterprises were established, a year-on-year increase of 4.4%, while the actual use of foreign capital in high-tech industries increased by 32.7%.
Fu Zhongsen, founder and CEO of World Union Consulting Co., Ltd., said that capital always flows to places where opportunities lie. “In fields such as life sciences, the robotics industry, and renewable energy, China has made considerable progress and has emerged a group of outstanding enterprises with advanced technology that can help other countries overcome various difficult problems.” He said that today’s world is full of uncertainties, but China has relatively strong predictability. “From China’s five-year plans, one can see coherent and unified policy signals, which bring certainty to investors.”
Gao Feike, Global Executive Vice President of Schneider Electric and Head of Energy Management Business, believes that China’s industries are currently accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system in the direction of intelligence, greening, and integration, and new industrial opportunities are emerging accordingly. Schneider Electric actively seizes opportunities in industrial transformation, continues to increase innovation investment in China, and deeply participates in the construction of China’s modern industrial system.
Li Nan, Director of the Investment and Enterprise Division of UNCTAD, believes that China, with its market size, manufacturing capacity, high-quality labor force, technological strength, and complete supply chain, has always been an important source and destination of international investment. “China continues to expand opening up, while also committed to promoting fair competition and improving the business environment, supporting innovation, and advancing green and digital transformation. These will create more opportunities for domestic and foreign investors.”
“Not only am I personally full of confidence in the business prospects in China, but our members also unanimously believe that China is the preferred long-term investment destination,” said Seyedin.
About CIFIT
China International Fair for Investment & Trade (hereinafter referred to as the CIFIT), hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, is held annually on Sept 8-11 in Xiamen, China. It has committed to constructing a platform of bilateral investment promotion, authoritative information release and investment trend discussion, and has developed into one of the most influential international investment events in the world. In recent years, each session of the CIFIT received professional participants from governmental departments, official investment promotion agencies, business associations and multinational corporations from more than 100 countries and regions. Additionally, government officials from over a hundred cities of 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions across the Chinese mainland also organize large-scale participation every year. Meanwhile, over 1,000 business delegations with nearly 5,000 companies and 50,000 business professionals attend the CIFIT to seek opportunities annually.
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Company Name: China International Fair for Investment & Trade
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