(ECNS) — The 137th session of the China Import and Export Fair (also known as the Canton Fair) opened on Tuesday in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, with strong attendance, underscoring the resilience and vitality of China's foreign trade.
Official data showed that 64,530 overseas buyers attended the fair in person on its opening day, up 8.9 percent year on year — the highest figure for the same period in the fair's history.
Regarded as a barometer and weathervane of China's foreign trade, this edition of the Canton Fair spans 1.55 million square meters and features around 31,000 exhibitors and 200,000 overseas buyers.
Zhang Sihong, deputy director of the China Foreign Trade Centre, said the number of overseas buyer pre-registrations, along with strong hotel and flight bookings, indicates stable and high-quality growth in attendance.
The Canton Fair remains a key driver of global trade, said Andre Rocha, president of the Federation of Industries of the State of Goias, Brazil. Here, we gain insights into global trends, emerging technologies, and practical solutions that can help boost industrial development, he said.
In the home appliances section, Liao Shixing, general manager of overseas marketing at Guangdong-based Chigo Air Conditioning, introduced smart residential and commercial air conditioning products to foreign buyers. "Chinese home appliances offer unmatched advantages in quality, value, and production scale — a combination not easily replicated elsewhere," he said, noting the company's solid market base in ASEAN, Europe, and the Middle East.
"The Canton Fair's role has become even more prominent amid today's complex global economic landscape," said Peng Peng, executive president of the Guangdong Institute of Reform. He suggested that the fair could shift more focus toward ASEAN and EU markets, while also deepening engagement with BRICS and Belt and Road countries. He added that various promotional activities at the fair can help discover new potential buyers.
Despite rising external uncertainties, China's foreign trade continues to show strong resilience. In the first quarter of 2024, total goods trade rose 1.3 percent year on year to 10.3 trillion yuan (about 1.41 trillion U.S. dollars). According to the General Administration of Customs, trade with Belt and Road partner countries reached 5.26 trillion yuan, up 2.2 percent and accounting for 51.1 percent of total trade. Trade with ASEAN grew 7.1 percent to 1.71 trillion yuan.
The Canton Fair also serves as a platform for global businesses to share in China's development opportunities and pursue mutual benefits. This session's import exhibition includes around 1,600 booths, with 736 companies from 50 countries and regions participating — further expanding access to the Chinese market.
As the world's largest manufacturing hub and second-largest economy, China offers vast production capacity and market potential, said Peng. "It's a reality no global economy can afford to overlook."
(By Zhao Li)
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