— Featuring an impressive line-up of industry leaders, the debut of a new ranking list, and closed-door matchmaking to discuss high-level opening-up of aviation services trade
On September 10, 2026, the 8th Air Silk Road International Cooperation Summit (ASRIF) will open in Beijing, with preparations now entering the final countdown.
As the annual flagship forum of the China International Fair for Trade in Services, this year's Summit is hosted by the Global Alliance for Trade in Services (GATIS) and co-organized by the GATIS Aviation Industry Committee and the Beijing International Aerotropolis Technology Research Institute. It also marks the first full-industry-chain event held since the establishment of the GATIS Aviation Industry Committee. Under the theme High-Quality Development of the Air Silk Road, High-Level Growth of Trade in Services, the Summit brings together resources from government, industry, academia, research, and application sectors, with in-depth discussions on key topics including Air Silk Road development, high-quality civil aviation growth, and open cooperation in services trade.
Over the past seven sessions, ASRIF has served more than 1,500 domestic and international institutions and facilitated the delivery of dozens of China-foreign aviation cooperation outcomes. This year's Summit features comprehensive upgrades in guest line-up, achievement releases, thematic session design, and economic and trade matchmaking, with four highlights generating significant industry anticipation.
Highlight I: A Global Line-up of Distinguished Guests – Authoritative Perspectives Guiding Industry Development
The guest profile for this year's Summit has reached new heights, with multiple prominent domestic and international figures set to attend and deliver keynote addresses. Long Yongtu, Chief Negotiator for China's WTO Accession, former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, and former Secretary-General of the Boao Forum for Asia, will examine China's services trade development landscape and international opportunities in the aviation sector from the broader perspective of the nation's opening-up strategy. Liu Fang, Member of the National Committee of the CPPCC and former Secretary-General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), will share insights on global civil aviation trends and pathways for China's international aviation cooperation, drawing on her experience in global civil aviation governance. Raymond Cron, Chairman of the Board of the European-Chinese Business Federation and former Director General of the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation, will present European civil aviation development practices, offering a reference for practical cooperation between China and Europe in the aviation field.
Highlight II: Four Major Achievement Releases – Establishing an Annual Industry Barometer
The Summit will unveil four research outcomes, providing data-driven insights and practical guidance for industry development:
China Airport Economic Development Index 2026: As the country's premier continuously evolving assessment of airport economy performance, this year's edition incorporates a services trade evaluation dimension for the first time, systematically assessing the development status and growth potential of airport economic zones nationwide.
"Air Silk Road" Construction Service Demonstration Cases 2026: A curated selection of exemplary practices in aviation logistics, cross-border e-commerce, smart airports, aviation maintenance, and other fields, delivering replicable and scalable industry experience.
"Air Silk Road" Brand Go-Global Plan 2026: Focusing on key sectors including smart logistics, aviation catering, cross-border e-commerce, green energy, and low-altitude economy, the Plan will select an initial cohort of 50 high-quality Chinese brands to support domestic enterprises in tapping global markets by leveraging the Air Silk Road network. A launch ceremony will be held at the Summit.
Air Silk Road · 2026 China County-Level Low-Altitude Economy Development Potential Top 100 List: The first assessment of its kind focusing on county-level low-altitude economy development potential. The ranking evaluates factors including airspace resources, industrial base, application scenarios, and policy support, providing a decision-making reference for local industrial planning and investment promotion. The list will be presented on-site.
Highlight III: Three Thematic Sessions with In-Depth Discussions – Focusing on Core Industry Development Issues
The Summit features three thematic sessions, each combining keynote speeches with high-level dialogues, with more targeted topics and diverse panel compositions.
Thematic Session I: Cobuilding Smart Aviation, Codrawing the Digital Silk Road Hosted by the China Air Transport Association. TravelSky Technology Limited and China StarNet Digital Technology Co., Ltd. will deliver presentations on digital transformation in civil aviation and innovative AI applications in the aviation industry. Guests from the SouthSouth Cooperation Finance Center, Airport Authority Hong Kong, and Gansu Provincial Airport Group will engage in a high-level dialogue on Innovation in Aviation Services Trade and International Cooperation in the Digital Era, covering smart airport development, crossborder aviation data flows, and mutual recognition of civil aviation standards.
Thematic Session II: Airport Economy Clustering for Empowerment, Open Cooperation for Shared BenefitsGuests from the Center for Contemporary World Studies of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Administrative Committee of Hangzhou Airport Economic Demonstration Zone, and Zhengzhou University of Aeronautics will exchange views on Airport Economic Zones: Strategic Pillars for Air Silk Road Development, sharing best practices and exploring innovative models for industrial cultivation, regional collaboration, and services trade empowerment.
Thematic Session III: Building a Foundation for CountyLevel LowAltitude Economy, Connecting the New Silk Road JourneyBuilding on the outcomes of the "Hundred Counties, Hundred Stations, Hundred Scenarios" initiative launched at the 7th ASRIF (Xi'an), this session will feature the on-site release of the Air Silk Road · 2026 China CountyLevel LowAltitude Economy Development Potential Top 100 List. In the high-level dialogue segment, guests from civil aviation regulatory bodies, stateowned enterprises, and local governments will discuss Unlocking CountyLevel LowAltitude Momentum: Forging the "Terminal Hub" of the Air Silk Road, addressing critical issues such as lowaltitude infrastructure development, standards system establishment, and scalable growth of countylevel lowaltitude economies. Bringing together fullindustrychain players including UAV R&D and manufacturing, lowaltitude infrastructure, smart supervision, and operational support, the session will leverage the GATIS international platform to explore global market opportunities in the lowaltitude sector and examine pathways for exporting China's lowaltitude technologies, equipment, and standards.
Highlight IV: "Air Silk Road Night 2026" ClosedDoor Event – Precision Matchmaking for Concrete Cooperation
Complementing the main Summit, the "Air Silk Road Night 2026" closeddoor networking event will bring together approximately 100 representatives from foreign diplomatic missions in China, local regulatory authorities, leading aviation enterprises, investment institutions, and industry experts for targeted business matchmaking and discussions, facilitating the implementation of concrete cooperation projects.
Guided by the principles of openness, cooperation, and mutual benefit, this year's Summit brings together strengths from government, industry, academia, research, and application sectors to continuously empower Air Silk Road development, upgrade aviation services trade, and support highlevel openingup to the wider world.
On September 10, the 8th ASRIF invites all interested parties to participate, discuss cooperation opportunities, and jointly shape the vision for the future.
