On the afternoon of September 10, 2026, the 2026 Global Development Roundtable on Trade in Services was held in Beijing. The event was jointly hosted by the Global Alliance for Trade in Services (GATIS), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the International Trade Centre (ITC). The roundtable was themed "Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence, and the Future of Global Trade in Services."

The 2026 Global Development Roundtable on Trade in Services featured opening remarks, thematic discussions, and an open discussion session.

In his opening remarks, Jiang Zengwei, President of the Global Alliance for Trade in Services, said that the global economic landscape is undergoing profound adjustment, while trade in services continues to grow rapidly, accounting for more than one quarter of global trade and becoming a major engine of international trade growth. Digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing are becoming deeply integrated into trade in services. Digital and intelligent transformation has emerged as a mainstream trend in the development of global trade in services, reshaping global service industry chains and value chains. At the same time, structural weaknesses in digital and intelligent transformation have become increasingly apparent. Geopolitical volatility, outdated rules, inconsistent standards, and the digital divide are constraining the high-quality and inclusive development of global trade in services. Promoting the digital and intelligent development of trade in services and building a fairer, more inclusive, and more efficient global trade in services system have become a shared mission for all parties. Under the theme "Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence, and the Future of Global Trade in Services," the roundtable brought together representatives from various sectors for in-depth discussions on key issues including digital and intelligent transformation trends, their impact on the sector, and standards interoperability and regional coordination. The event aimed to translate the outcomes of these discussions into practical measures to promote the growth and prosperity of global trade in services.

Luz María de la Mora, Director of the Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD, delivered an opening speech.

Dorothy Tembo, Deputy Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, delivered an opening speech.

During the "Assessment & Insights" thematic discussion, Wu Dong, Senior Economic Affairs Officer, Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD, moderated the session. Speakers included Zhao Weidong, Secretary-General of the Global Alliance for Trade in Services; Ki-Chan Kim, Chair of the Organization for Trade Development and Standards Cooperation; Cheng Wenyin, Economist of Regional Cooperation and Integration Division, Asian Development Bank; Chinyel Almona, Director-General at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Council Member of the Global Alliance for Trade in Services; Nanno Mulder, Chief of International Trade and Integration Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean; and Zhou Nianli, Professor at the University of International Business and Economics. They held in-depth discussions on how digitalization and artificial intelligence are reshaping the landscape of trade in services, as well as emerging trends in global policy and regulatory frameworks. They shared forward-looking views and offered practical policy recommendations on building supportive institutional frameworks and strengthening the interoperability and mutual recognition of standards.

During the "Exploration & Practice" thematic discussion, Zhao Quan, Senior Programme Officer (Trade Policy), Division for Market Development, International Trade Centre, moderated the session. Speakers included Bruno Masier, Vice President of Global Alliance for Trade in Services and President of the World Trade Point Federation; Xu Shixin, Chief Operating Officer of Greater China, Embraer S.A., a member organization of GATIS; Wei Yongming, General Manager of the Cloud Services Expert Laboratory of Greater China, IBM, a member organization of GATIS; Lance Yau, Senior Manager of the US-China Business Council (USCBC); Yang Tianyi, Yang Tianyi, Vice President of Greater China, Marriott International, a member organization of GATIS, and Head of Greater China, Marriott Media; Randy Peers, President of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, United States; Magnus Sprenger, Managing Partner of German Enterprise Audit Services, Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP, a member organization of GATIS; and Ren Zhongwei, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer of Wumart Technology Group Co., Ltd. They shared innovative practices and development experience from their organizations in digital transformation, focusing on issues such as the proactive adoption of new technologies and the improvement of service ecosystems. Their experiences provided useful references for organizations seeking to advance the digital and intelligent development of global trade in services and broadened perspectives on future development.

The 2026 Global Development Roundtable on Trade in Services was one of the major events hosted by the Global Alliance for Trade in Services during the China International Fair for Trade in Services. Focusing on industry trends and issues of concern to its members, the roundtable brought together expertise from various sectors to share practical experience, assess development trends, and offer policy recommendations. Participants also explored new pathways and business opportunities arising from the digital and intelligent transformation of trade in services and discussed new models for mutually beneficial cooperation.

The Global Alliance for Trade in Services will continue to uphold the principles of "neutrality, openness, inclusiveness, and innovation." Focusing on its three core functions of " promoting exchange and cooperation, facilitating think tank research and conducting policy dialogue," the alliance will work with global trade in services enterprises, business associations, professional institutions, and industry organizations to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation and promote a higher level of liberalization and facilitation in trade in services. Going forward, the alliance will work with all parties to advance the implementation of the outcomes of the roundtable, jointly promote the digital, intelligent, and sustainable development of global trade in services, explore new scenarios for innovative applications in trade in services, and develop a new blueprint for cross-sector collaboration and high-quality development.

The meeting was moderated by Chen Ning, Deputy Secretary-General of the Global Alliance for Trade in Services. More than 150 participants attended the event, including senior representatives from international organizations such as UNCTAD, the International Trade Centre, and the Asian Development Bank; representatives of embassies and international organizations in China from more than 10 countries and regions, including Brazil, Nigeria, and the United States; government officials; think tank scholars; and representatives of member organizations.

Lu Lanping, Deputy Secretaries-General of the Global Alliance for Trade in Services, also attended the meeting.