Foreign news

Intl. Trade in Services Fair: President Xi opens first in-person trade event since COVID-19 outbreak

Published

5 years ago

September 6, 2020

Here in Beijing, a major trade fair has kicked off and unlike the online events we’ve been used to in pandemic times, this one is in-person. President Xi Jinping gave the opening address, saying he hopes the event could help boost international trade, as the world economy suffers a major blow from the pandemic. Wu Guoxiu has our top story.

President Xi Jinping proposes to jointly build a world services economy that’s open, inclusive, innovative, and mutually beneficial.

XI JINPING Chinese President “China will remain steadfast in opening up wider to the world. We will continue to work on a negative list system for managing cross-border services trade. We will develop open platforms for the pilot program of innovative development of the services sector. We will further ease market access for the services sector, and will take greater initiative to increase imports of quality services.”

President Xi also announced China’s measures to promote higher-quality opening up, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19.

XI JINPING Chinese President “We will support the Beijing municipality in developing a national integrated demonstration zone for greater openness in the services sector. It will enable Beijing to take bigger, bolder steps as a trailblazer and gain more experience that would be replicable and scalable. We will also support Beijing in setting up a pilot free trade zone characterizing scientific and technological innovation, opening-up of the services sector, and the digital economy.”

Leaders addressed the summit remotely. The message is clear: support economic globalization and international cooperation.

ALBERTO FERNANDEZ President of Argentina “We hope to continue to deepen relations with China. For post-COVID-19 recovery and development, we may consider integrating our information system and share best practices. This platform of cooperation can help boost development.”

MUKHISA KITUYI Secretary-General, UN Conference on Trade and Development “International cooperation of trade and services should be a key element of policy agenda. We hope we can work together, leaning on the common lessons which China can share.”

But still, overcoming the coronavirus pandemic is key and world leaders renewed calls for global efforts to deal with it.

TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS Director-General, World Health Organization “Innovation is of most value when it matters to equalities, not widens them. This pandemic will end. The question is whether we’ll learn the lessons it’s teaching us. Together, we must build a healthier, safer, fairer world for everyone, everywhere.”

China’s International Fair for Trade in Services is the world’s first of its kind organized at the national level. Nearly 18-thousand organizations, embassies, associations and companies from nearly 150 countries and regions are participating. There will be online and offline events, featuring public health, tourism, winter sports and 5G communications.

WU GUOXIU Beijing “As a taster of what’s to come, this summit will be followed by nearly 200 forums and negotiations over the next five days, together with a vast exhibition area. The message from organizers is clear: Join hands for global economic recovery, and don’t shut doors — especially against our common enemy, the coronavirus. Wu Guoxiu, CGTN, Beijing.”

Share on Facebook

Foreign news

NTAC Hails Tinubu; Volunteers Ready to Positively Impact Nigerians

Published

5 days ago

June 4, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) has commended President Bola Tinubu for funding the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Scheme.

The Director General (DG) of NTAC , Dr Yusuf Yakub, made the commendation during a ceremony to receive five returning TAC volunteers from Zanzibar, Tanzania on Tuesday in Abuja.
The returning volunteers also expressed readiness to impact knowledge gained from participating in the programme on Nigerians.

TAC is a mechanism for Nigeria’s foreign aid and technical assistance to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries through the use of Nigeria’s abundant trained manpower.

Yakub lauded Tinubu’s visionary leadership and steadfast support for the TAC Scheme.

Welcoming the volunteers who had discharged themselves as worthy ambassadors in Zanzibar, the D-G thanked them for their patriotism, dedication to service and for making Nigeria proud on the international arena.

The NTAC boss highlighted the importance of knowledge-sharing, while announcing that certificates of completion will be presented to the volunteers in line with the noble objectives of the service.

He also emphasised the volunteers’ crucial role in passing on the skills and experiences gained in Zanzibar.

He expressed optimism that their efforts would positively impact the lives of Nigerians across the country and shape the expectations and service-delivery of future prospective volunteers.

Earlier speaking, Amb. Zakari Usman, the Director of Programmes for NTAC, expressed gratitude to the D-G for his unwavering support and provision for the volunteers throughout their service period.
He said that the volunteers had so delivered on the mandate of the agency that citizens of Zanzibar did not want them to leave their country.
Popoola Adegoke, the Team Lead and a Mathematics Instructor for the batch of returning volunteers, was full of gratitude to the Federal Government for providing them the opportunity to participate in the scheme.

Adegoke said that Nigeria, was well blessed and had the abundance of both human and natural resources to contribute meaningfully to the development of many countries of the world.

He said that the need to continue the TAC Scheme was not negotiable, owing to its high impact and results.

Mohammed Salisu, a Physicist, said that the experience had broadened his horizon as his orientation during the last 24 months in Zanzibar, especially on the cultural exchange.

He lauded the government for the scheme, saying that Nigeria is seen and perceived to be higher in all ranking, especially in the standard of living and educational system.

He also appealed to the government to sustain the scheme to close the gaps both the educational and professional systems in the African, Caribbean and the Pacific Countries.
NAN

Share on Facebook