China"s high-level opening-up is deepening from the flow of "tangible goods" toward the support of "intangible services" and "professional capabilities," said Cheong, adding that the zone marks a shift toward institutional opening-up, covering services and rule alignment.

　　The debut of the overseas-expansion zone responds to China"s growing services exports. Ministry of Commerce data shows that China"s total trade in services reached 3.78 trillion yuan ($563 billion) in the first half of 2026, up 8.3 percent year-on-year.

　　Knowledge-intensive services exports rose 12.8 percent to 805.67 billion yuan, accounting for 53.5 percent of total services exports.

　　Apart from Chinese companies going global, the strong turnout of the expos lies in multinational companies" continued confidence in the Chinese market.

　　At the CIFTIS, more than 250 institutions, including Walmart, Siemens, Eli Lilly, and Johnson & Johnson, have confirmed their participation. The CIFIT is similarly drawing senior executives from global corporations and investment firms.

　　The cooperation model of multinational companies in China has shifted from "producing in China" to "conducting research and development in China and collaborating with China," Hu Qimu, a professor at the Maritime Silk Road Institute of Huaqiao University, told the Global Times.

　　For example, GE Healthcare will launch its new flagship angiography system, the Allia Celeo Max Zhuque, at this year"s CIFTIS, the Global Times learned from the company.

　　GE Healthcare described the product as a showcase of Chinese innovation combined with the company"s global resources.

　　That enthusiasm is more than ceremonial. In the first seven months of 2026, actual foreign investment in high-tech industries rose 32.7 percent year-on-year, according to Vice Minister of Commerce Ling Ji.