Beijing Construction Engineering Group (BCEG) has been impressing visitors at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), currently underway in Beijing from September 2 to 7. Engineering consulting and construction services is one of the fair’s eight thematic exhibitions.  

"The CIFTIS has driven enterprises to improve their core competitiveness and promote high-quality development," Guo Shuangchao, Deputy Manager of BCEG's Contracting Department, told Beijing Review.   

CIFTIS, a major platform for trade in services in China, is focusing on digital trade and services this year. With an exhibition area of about 130,000 square meters, the fair is held at the China National Convention Center and Shougang Industrial Park in Beijing. 

BCEG's projects on display at the fair include Beijing Daxing International Airport, nicknamed the Starfish of Beijing; the Xiaotangshan Hospital in Beijing, and road infrastructure of the recently-opened Universal Beijing Resort.  

Listed among the world's top 250 contractors, the company has continued to expand its global presence, establishing subsidiaries in over 30 countries and regions. Guo told Beijing Review the company's overseas projects include the Capella Hotel, a landmark in Bangkok, Thailand, and the 60,000-seat Abidjan Olympic Stadium in Cote d' Ivoire.  

Amid difficulties caused by the COVID-19 last year, BCEG made notable contributions to renovating and expanding Beijing's Xiaotangshan Hospital, a designated hospital for COVID-19 treatment. The hospital was originally built by BCEG in only one week when cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was found in China in 2003. BCEG renovated the hospital in less than two months and the expanded hospital reopened on March 16 last year.  

According to Guo, the engineering industry is likely to see unified standards of design and production, as well as more intelligent management. In addition to working on construction, engineering enterprises will also become planners of programs, investors and asset operators.  

"In order to achieve high-quality development of the engineering industry, enterprises themselves need to diversify their business modes, improve the capabilities of employees and enhance the quality of construction. And the government needs to encourage healthy market competition," Guo said. 

"Green and smart development is a major trend for the engineering industry. Enterprises need to improve intelligent operation to reduce reliance on human workers, to enhance safety, and to reduce waste of resources and environmental pollution by using technology," he added. 

To make the construction smarter and greener, BCEG has adopted 5G and virtual reality technologies and hi-tech devices such as drones and robots, which have helped improve efficiency and accuracy to reduce waste. 

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson  

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