China has published an updated catalog aimed at expanding services imports. According to details published by the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), the government will encourage the import of research and development (R&D), design, testing, intellectual property and digital technology services to strengthen innovation capacity, accelerate industrial upgrading and advance the ongoing green and low-carbon transition. The revisions were made by multiple authorities, including the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). Priority is given to services related to urgent domestic demand that can support the development of new quality productive forces and improve people’s quality of life, such as services in energy conservation, resource recycling, environmental governance and climate solutions, including pollution control, ecological restoration, carbon reduction and the circular economy. The catalog also promotes the import of consulting, supply chain management, green building, healthcare and rehabilitation services.
China’s trade in services reached CNY8.08 trillion in 2025, up 7.4% year-on-year, while its services imports stood at CNY4.46 trillion, rising 2.5% on a yearly basis. Imports of knowledge-intensive services reached CNY1.26 trillion last year, up 1.3% year-on-year. Noting that China’s continued expansion of services imports signals its shift from a major goods exporter to a key driver of global value chain collaboration, Denis Depoux, Managing Director of management consultancy Roland Berger, said that producer services are emerging as a key accelerator for the high-quality development of the real economy across China. “In regions with strong industrial foundations, producer services should be leveraged to extend the value chains of leading manufacturing sectors both upstream and downstream, while also facilitating these chains’ own transition toward higher-end capabilities and fostering a new wave of horizontal clustering,” said Depoux.
Also encouraged by China’s latest push to promote trade in services, Poh-Yian Koh, President of FedEx China, said the United States-based express transportation services provider will also deepen its footprint in the country. Operating more than 300 international flights to and from China each week, Koh said that the country serves as one of the key engines of global trade and an integral part of FedEx’s global strategy. “We are dedicated to making supply chains smarter for all our customers, and strengthening connections between China and the rest of the world in the logistics sector,” she said. “By leveraging our extensive global air and ground networks and smart digital solutions, we look forward to empowering Chinese customers to grow to the next level,” Koh said, as reported by the China Daily.
