A single lantern can illuminate a vast market landscape. A cultural enterprise from Zigong has successfully operated lantern festival projects across multiple global regions, with services spanning European, Asian, and Oceanian markets. Meanwhile, a single aircraft can weave an extensive logistics network—Sichuan Airlines' cargo services now connect 133 destinations across 22 countries and regions. Both scenarios share one common keyword: services.

On September 9, the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) opened at Shougang Park in Beijing. As reporters entered the Sichuan Pavilion, the diverse array of customized services displayed across more than 30 exhibitor booths captured immediate attention. Behind these dazzling exhibits lie several emerging industry trends worth exploring.

Trend One: Digital Technology Penetrates Faster and Deeper Than Expected

"Industrial digital employees" automatically generate optimal control and scheduling plans for factory floors, AI-powered visual quality inspection precisely identifies production defects, and mobile intelligent agents execute task commands with a single click. At this year's CIFTIS, these seemingly disparate application scenarios converge on one clear trend: digital technology is infiltrating every aspect of the service industry, fundamentally redefining the methods and boundaries of service delivery.

Inside the Sichuan Pavilion, the same transformative force is evident. Digital technology is reshaping service sectors with unprecedented speed and depth. At the booth of Chengdu Mingtu Technology Co., Ltd., a holographic projection of a cartoon character inside an intelligent agent digital human chamber draws significant attention—it is a digital human avatar designed for gaming companionship, capable of providing strategy suggestions and real-time guidance to players.

"This intelligent agent digital human is powered by our WorkBrain intelligent agent model showcased here," explained Zhu Zesheng, the company's Ecological Cooperation Director. The model has established an integrated ecosystem encompassing a cloud platform for intelligent agent digital humans, embodied intelligent interaction terminals, and intelligent agent development tools. Currently, the company's digital human solutions have been deployed across multiple domestic and international scenarios. For instance, they created a "digital employee" for a Vietnamese foreign trade enterprise, efficiently handling business consultations and assisting decision-making processes, significantly boosting operational efficiency.

"We are actively expanding into overseas markets including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Australia," Zhu stated. Looking ahead, the company will focus on key industries such as cultural tourism, AI education, and enterprise intelligent empowerment, continuously iterating product capabilities to deliver more personalized and customized intelligent services across various sectors.

Digital technology's impact on services trade also extends to reading experiences. At the booth of Chengdu Shusheng Technology Co., Ltd., the Jiàojiào Reading app features an AI learning companion with multimodal interaction and emotional companionship capabilities. This AI companion accompanies children throughout their reading journey—answering questions, facilitating interactive learning, and transforming reading from a one-way textual input into a dynamic two-way interactive experience. The app now serves over 40 million users, covering key regions including North America and Singapore, providing Chinese online reading content for children aged 3 to 12.

Li Lanlan, Brand Public Relations Manager at Chengdu Shusheng Technology, noted that the company has launched series such as "Little Chick Jiàojiào Growth Picture Books" and "Little Chick Run," with licensed editions in English, Korean, Thai, and other languages, accumulating global sales exceeding 20 million copies. A representative from the Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce highlighted that Sichuan's solid digital trade foundation positions digital technology as a leading force in digital trade, powerfully driving the province's services trade digital transformation. Moving forward, Sichuan will leverage the collaborative efforts of domestic and foreign enterprises to continuously expand digital technology solutions, software offshore outsourcing, and smart hardware exports, further amplifying digital technology's supportive role in enhancing services trade quality and scale.

Trend Two: Experience Boundaries Dissolve, Content Value Takes Center Stage

Sophisticated digital exhibition equipment including naked-eye 3D, interactive rail screens, AR interaction, and holographic digital humans transforms static displays into interactive experiential scenarios. Meanwhile, the "Four Treasures of Shu"—Shu brocade, Shu embroidery, Shu incense, and Shu batik—alongside intangible cultural heritage brands from Tibetan, Qiang, and Yi ethnic groups, are integrating contemporary fashion elements into their traditional foundations.

Entering the Sichuan Pavilion, another striking impression emerges: the fusion of virtual and real, the intersection of ancient and modern. The focus of services trade is quietly shifting from mere product sales toward content narratives and experience co-creation. At one corner of the pavilion, the Jiangkou Chenyin Museum's "Jiangkou Treasure Quest" VR immersive experience, which has been highly popular this year, draws long queues of visitors eager to try it. Wearing VR headsets, participants are "transported" to the ancient Jiangkou battlefield, assuming the role of "treasure guardian agents" on a thrilling underwater treasure hunt.

"To date, we have reached preliminary cooperation agreements with Malta, Fiji, and Sweden, with related VR experience projects scheduled to launch overseas this year," said Li Shan, Deputy General Manager of Meishan Dongpo Songcheng Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd., the exhibiting company. "Through this CIFTIS participation featuring cultural creative exhibits, the Jiangkou Chenyin Museum VR experience, and the Meishan Sansu Temple Museum's 'Dongpo's Time Feast' MR experience, we are actively promoting and exploring cultural IP licensing and cross-border cultural exchange cooperation." The company plans to build upon existing museum smart cultural experience projects to develop comprehensive immersive smart cultural solutions, with future plans to export smart cultural services to domestic and international markets.

Intangible cultural heritage is also expanding the horizons of services trade. At the China Western Haute Couture Center booth, Shu brocade cheongsams, round fans, handbags, and various handicrafts incorporating intangible cultural heritage elements are elegantly displayed, showcasing Sichuan's exquisite craftsmanship. In recent years, as an haute couture industry platform integrating original design, heritage transformation, and brand incubation, the center has focused on design innovation, guiding and assisting designers to transform Chinese trendy elements and intangible heritage techniques into high-end apparel, cultural creative products, and home art pieces. Through end-product exports and platform resource integration, it continuously promotes local culture's integration into the global market.

"We have already established partnerships with enterprises in Greece and Seychelles, providing professional services including innovative research and development, pattern design, garment pattern making, and finished garment production," explained Wang Xiaoran, Operations Director of the China Western Haute Couture Center. By the end of 2025, the center has aggregated nearly 500 designers globally and integrated nearly 5,000 supply chain enterprises nationwide, continuously exporting Sichuan's fashion culture while connecting with international fashion resources.

A representative from the Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce noted that Sichuan has been actively exploring models such as IP licensing, overseas touring exhibitions, and cross-border cultural creative cooperation. Through dual-track overseas expansion of cultural products and cultural services, the province promotes cultural exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations, continuously enhancing the international influence of Bashu culture. For example, Zigong lanterns from Sichuan command a 92% share of the international market, with projects implemented across more than 80 countries and regions including the United States and Germany, continuously delivering immersive lighting exhibition services. Additionally, high-end Shu brocade and Shu embroidery garments have made multiple appearances at overseas fashion weeks, driving the fashionable internationalization of traditional crafts.