China News Service, Beijing, August 23 (Reporter Li Xiaoyu and Du Yan) Wang Dongtang, director of the Department of Service Trade and Commerce and Trade Services Industry of the Ministry of Commerce of China, said in Beijing on the 23rd that he will continue to expand the opening up of the service industry in the future, continue to promote the export of emerging services, and increase Import of high-quality services will better promote the balanced and coordinated development of service trade.

　　Since 2018, China's trade deficit in services has gradually declined.

According to official data, China's trade deficit in services will drop to US$32.75 billion in 2021, the lowest since 2011.

In the first half of this year, the service trade deficit further narrowed to US$12.2 billion.

　　In this regard, Wang Dongtang said at a relevant press conference held by the State Council Information Office that day that the decline in the trade deficit in services was due to various reasons.

Before the epidemic, travel has always been the largest area of ​​service trade and the largest source of service trade deficit.

However, due to the impact of the epidemic, the import and export of travel has dropped sharply, which has become the most important factor driving the decline in the service trade deficit.

　　The increase in traditional service exports has also led to a narrowing of the service trade deficit.

Wang Dongtang said that last year and the year before last, driven by the rapid growth of trade in goods and rising freight rates, the export of transportation services maintained a high level.

　　Wang Dongtang said that emerging service exports have become a key factor in the reduction of China's service trade deficit.

In recent years, the competitiveness of China's service exports has been significantly improved, especially the rapid increase in the scale of knowledge-intensive service exports.

　　Official data shows that China's knowledge-intensive exports will grow by 18% in 2021, of which telecommunications computer and information services, intellectual property royalties, and personal cultural and entertainment services will grow by more than 30%, much higher than the overall growth of service exports. speed.

　　Wang Dongtang said that in the future, he will continue to expand the opening up of the service industry, continue to promote the innovative development of service trade, promote international cooperation in service trade through external promotion platforms such as the Service Trade Fair, continue to promote the export of emerging services, increase the import of high-quality services, and better promote the balance of service trade. Coordinated development.

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