The head of the Department of Trade in Services and Commercial Services of the Ministry of Commerce introduced the development of trade in services from January to August 2026.

From January to August 2026, China's total trade in services reached 5,070.16 billion yuan, up 7.9% year on year. Of this total, exports amounted to 1,999.61 billion yuan, up 14.8%, while imports stood at 3,070.55 billion yuan, up 3.8%. The services trade deficit was 1,070.94 billion yuan, narrowing by 145.12 billion yuan year on year. The main features are as follows: Travel and transport service exports contributed nearly 50% to the overall growth of service exports. From January to August, travel service exports reached 275.17 billion yuan, up 15.3%, and transport service exports totaled 420.26 billion yuan, up 28.2%. The contribution rates of travel and transport service exports to the overall growth of service exports were 14.1% and 35.8%, respectively. Knowledge-intensive service exports accounted for more than half of total service exports. From January to August, knowledge-intensive services trade totaled 2,231.4 billion yuan, up 6.6%, accounting for 44% of total services trade. Knowledge-intensive service exports reached 1,074.47 billion yuan, up 10.9%, accounting for 53.7% of service exports; among these, personal, cultural and entertainment services and financial services grew the fastest, at 66% and 21.6%, respectively. Knowledge-intensive service imports amounted to 1,156.93 billion yuan, up 2.8%, accounting for 37.7% of service imports.