Diplomats, think tank experts attend forum in city

By Yan Wanqin.

A forum for diplomats posted in China and think tank experts was held in Yichang on June 26.

The event, themed "Hubei: A High Ground for Inland Opening-Up and a Strategic Pivot," brought together ambassadors and senior diplomats from 27 countries and international organizations, including Turkmenistan, Comoros, Bulgaria, Argentina, Spain, and Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

During the forum, the report Shopping in China: Sharing New Opportunities of Open Development was released by the Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency.

China's exports of travel services surged 49.5 percent year on year to 393.98 billion yuan (US$57.8 billion) in 2025, making the sector the fastest-growing category of the country’s service exports, according to the report.

The report says that "Shopping in China" has become an important bridge linking China and the world, serving as a powerful driver of global trade in services, supporting economic globalization, promoting the upgrading of global consumption, enhancing China's national image, and strengthening cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

The forum featured in-depth discussions among foreign diplomats and think tank experts on several topics, including green and open development and "Shopping in China.”

The event was part of a four-day tour of Hubei for diplomats posted in China and international think tank experts, who visited Wuhan, Jingzhou, and Yichang.