The Canton Fair, also known as the China Import and Export Fair, takes place twice a year in Guangzhou, China. It is the largest trade fair in China and attracts visitors from all over the world. The Fair held its 135th session from April 15 to May 5 this year on The Canton Fair Complex, formerly known as Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center, located on Pazhou Island in the Guangzhou in the People’s Republic of China. Onsite exhibition at the fair attracted approximately 29,000 exhibitors and 200,000 overseas buyers from all over the globe, making itself the focal point of combining innovation and trade.
The Canton Fair is noted for its large display area, which attracts thousands of exhibitors and visitors from all over the world. This fair focuses on exports and is remarkably welcoming to foreign visitors. Because there are so many foreign purchasers at the exhibition, the organizers make every effort to make things as simple as possible for them. English-speaking personnel and signposts are available to help foreign guests navigate the event complex. Many buyers and importers consider the Canton Fair a goldmine for sourcing new products from China. It allows manufacturers to promote their products, while buyers may interact with suppliers and explore prospective business collaborations. Most significantly, the Canton Fair allows buyers to meet and create connections with their suppliers. The event also allows to meet several exhibitors in person, negotiate prices and delivery terms, look at their work samples, and pay a visit to the manufacturing unit before closing the deal, which is critical for any long-term global trade affair, ensuring high-quality products within the buyer’s price range.
Phases of 135th Canton Fair:
The fair was divided into three phases, each focusing on different industries. The three phases of Spring 2024 Canton Fair focused on Electronics and Machinery, Consumer Goods and Gifts, Textiles and Medical Devices.
Phase 1
The 1st phase of Electronics and Machinery was held from April 15 to 19, and showcased industries of Household Electrical Appliances, Consumer Electronics and Information Products, Electronic and Electrical Products, Lighting Equipment, New Energy Resources, New Materials and Chemical Products, Hardware, Tools, Machining Machinery and Equipment, Power and Electrical Equipment, General Machinery and Mechanical Parts, Industrial Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Construction Machinery, Agricultural Machinery, New Energy Vehicles and Smart Mobility, Motorcycles, Bicycles, Vehicle Spare Parts, Vehicles. This phase strongly emphasized on Electric Vehicles as alternate energy source to counter natural resource scarcity of emerging years.
Phase 2
The 2nd phase of Consumer Goods and Gifts was held from April 23 to 27, showcased industries of Building and Decoration Materials, Sanitary and Bathroom Equipment, Furniture, Kitchen and Tableware, Daily-use Ceramics, Household Items, Clocks, Watches and Optical Instruments, Gifts and Premiums, Festival Products, Home Decorations, Art Ceramics, Glass Artware, Gardening Products, Woven, Rattan and Iron Products, Iron and Stone Decorations, and Outdoor Spa Facilities. Solar panel powered cleaning robots were products of big appreciation in this phase.
Phase 3
The 3rd phase of Textiles and Medical Devices was held at May 1 to 5, with showcasing industries of Personal Care Appliances, Bathroom Products, Medicines, Health Products and Medical Devices, Pet Products, Maternity and Baby Products, Toys, Children’s Clothing, Men’s and Women’s Clothing, Sportswear and Casual Wear, Underwear, Fur, Leather, Down and Related Products, Clothing Accessories and Fittings, Home Textiles, Textile Raw Materials and Fabrics, Carpets and Tapestries, Shoes, Office Supplies, Bags and Suitcases, Sports and Tourism Leisure Products, Food, Rural Revitalization.
China is known to the world for their great innovations, smart and efficient technologies, as well as their modern and effective production methods. Among all the fairs, the Canton Fair is the best platform for them to unveil their new products and technologies in order to attract more business partners from all over the world. The Canton Fair, to which Chinese President Xi Jinping sent congratulatory letters and mentioned explicitly in the 2024 Government Work Report, is a key element of maintaining and extending the international trade. It is a venue for strategic demonstrations of China’s adherence to open economic principles and international cooperation. The 135th Canton Fair’s growth of over 22 percent compared to the previous edition is a very positive sign for China to be a leader in international trade as it reflects how the world is accepting Chinese products.
The Canton Fair is an exuberant manifestation of China’s high-level economic development and consistently shows the world the solid and positive economic direction of China, adding more certainty to the global economy. Moreover, Canton Fair is going to be of great importance to China’s economy through its ability to enhance foreign trade, expand the markets, and boost the economic growth. It requires a special place in China’s political circle. The Fair draws the world closer together with its diplomatic ties and cultural exchange between China and other countries, functioning as a stage for international economic cooperation and diplomacy.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) led by China, is a large-scale infrastructure project which was announced by the President Xi Jinping in 2013. This initiative is designed to link East Asia and Europe by means of physical infrastructure and it has since extended to take in Africa, Oceania, and Latin America, thereby greatly increasing China’s economic and political influence. The fair is one of the components of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is manifested in the increased participation of the BRI countries in the last fairs. Such partnerships allow Chinese enterprises to interact with the companies from BRI nations, thus strengthening the economic relations and cooperation with more than 140 countries. The Canton Fair has been evolving with the opportunities from BRI cooperation, attracting visitors from BRI partner countries. The fair holds the exhibition areas specifically for those countries involved in the BRI, hence increasing trade and connectivity between China and these countries. Chinese companies have been actively seeking the markets in BRI partner countries during the Canton Fair. Hence, the Canton Fair is an essential platform for realizing mutually beneficial outcomes.
Author: Mazhar UR Rahman
