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BEIJING, June 1-- A trade fair in Beijing has shown that China is making a steady steering on growth in knowledge and technology-intensive services. The five-day 2019 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) drew the curtain on Saturday in Beijing, with intended contracts worth 105 billion U.S. dollars signed. The contracts, involving financial services, communication services, information technology services, cultural services and legal services, signal China's upbeat momentum in the growth of the non-manufacturing sector. Over the week, the world's largest services trade fair hosted some 240 forums and business talks, which occupied nearly all major conference venues in the Chinese capital. Yan Ligang, the fair's spokesperson, said 11 venues saw more than 400,000 visits by participants from 137 countries and regions and 21 international organizations. He said in total, 306 domestic projects worth 87.512 billion dollars were signed at the fair. There were also 134 overseas projects with a total value of 17.55 billion dollars. As the non-manufacturing sector sustains an ever-expanding growth, the Chinese government, from this year, upgraded the biennial fair formerly held by the municipal government of Beijing since 2017 to a national fair for trade in services, which will be held annually ever since. TIDING OVER ODDS Many foreign visitors described CIFTIS as crucial for addressing the challenges facing the world economy. | 
