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The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development announced on Wednesday that it will establish a council to promote the services industry globally.
"We have opportunities here to highlight the importance of the sector," said Guillermo Valles, director of UNCTAD's Division on International Trade on Goods, Services and Commodities.
The announcement came at the Global Service Forum-Beijing Summit, which was held in conjunction with the China International Fair for Trade in Services.
"We are delighted to be together at CIFTIS because China shows world leadership and its success and creativity in the sector," he said.
Forty-four percent of jobs in developing economies and 37 percent in developed economies are in the services sector, Valles said.
With the establishment of the council, UNCTAD aims to increase awareness of trade in services.
"It is very important to create the vision council, especially for some developing countries and even undeveloped countries," said Taffere Tesfachew, director of UNCTAD's Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programs.
Geographically disadvantaged countries, such as landlocked ones and isolated island nations, have to export using other countries' ports, Tesfachew said.
Christiane Stephanek, a spokeswoman for the Global Service Forum, said China's strategic vision is important in the development of its own services sector as well as in highlighting the importance of trade in services.
"It is the second time for me to cooperate with the CIFTIS, and I think we need further partnership and experience exchanges," she said.
As the services industry is mainly centered on human capital, the CIFTIS shows in its joint effort with the UNCTAD a strategic decision of the Chinese government, Valles said.
"The fair also leads the way for other developing countries. In that sense, it's more than a trade fair," Valles said.
zhangyuchen@chinadaily.com.cn
