BritCham China Attends the Tianjin 2026 Haihe International Consumption Forum

On 30 July, the 2026 Haihe International Consumption Forum was held in Tianjin. Hosted by the Tianjin Municipal People’s Government under the theme “Innovating Service Formats, Activating New Consumption Growth,” the forum brought together more than 300 representatives from government, business and academia to discuss service-sector upgrading, new consumption models and the future development of international consumption centre cities. The event also featured the release of the Five-Year Practice Report on Building Tianjin into an International Consumption Centre City, as well as the China (Tianjin) Investment and Trade Fair and the Tianjin International Coffee Industry Exhibition.

The Managing Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in China (BritCham China), Graeme Wallace, together with BritCham China’s Government Affairs team, was invited to attend the forum. Speaking at the main forum, Mr Wallace delivered a keynote speech titled “Supporting China’s Transition towards a Service-Led Consumer Economy: A British Business Perspective.”

Drawing on findings from BritCham China’s recently released British Business in China: Sentiment Survey 2025-2026 Mr. Wallace noted that although British businesses have experienced a more challenging operating environment over the past year, reflecting softer domestic demand and the continued impact of the property sector slowdown, they remain confident in China’s long-term economic prospects. He highlighted that most British companies intend to maintain or increase their investment in China, reflecting confidence in the country’s continued transition towards a higher-quality, more service-led consumer economy.

Additionally, Mr. Wallace emphasised that the United Kingdom, as one of the world’s leading service economies, is well positioned to contribute to China’s next stage of development. He observed that consumer demand in China is increasingly shifting towards experience-led consumption – with strong growth in tourism, culture, sport, healthcare and lifestyle services – creating significant opportunities for British companies across hospitality, professional services, finance, education, healthcare and the creative industries.

During his speech, Mr. Wallace also outlined recommendations from BritCham’s British Business in China: Position Paper 2026, including further opening China’s service sectors, strengthening intellectual property protection, expanding the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and maintaining a stable and predictable business environment. He noted that these recommendations not only support foreign businesses operating in China but also align with China’s broader objective of building a more innovative, productive and service-led economy.

Mr. Wallace welcomed the recent announcement that China and the United Kingdom will undertake a feasibility study on closer cooperation in trade in services, describing it as a natural progression in bilateral economic relations. He concluded by expressing confidence that China’s scale and innovation, combined with the UK’s strengths in services, education, finance, healthcare, engineering and the creative industries, would create new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.

BritCham China looks forward to continuing to work with partners in Tianjin and across China to support the development of high-quality services and further strengthen UK-China business cooperation.