Canton Fair attracts many exhibitors from BRI countries in import zone

The second phase of the ongoing 135th China Import and Export Fair, widely known as the Canton Fair, has drawn 220 enterprises from 30 countries and regions, including 18 Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries, to its import zone.

This import zone, among the 15 exhibition zones in the second phase, showcases a diverse array of products, including kitchenware, household items, gifts, and promotional goods. Within this zone, a total of 144 companies from 18 BRI countries, such as South Korea, Türkiye, Egypt, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Ghana, set up their booths, constituting 65 percent of the zone's participating companies.

Covering an exhibition area of 515,000 square meters and accommodating more than 24,600 booths distributed across 15 zones, the second phase of the Canton Fair in Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong Province, spans a five-day duration, concluding Saturday. This phase boasts the participation of 9,820 companies and the 15 exhibition zones are dedicated to household items, gifts and decorations, as well as building materials and furniture.

"I've been participating in the fair since the 116th session, and now it's the 135th session. There must be some reasons why I've always been attending the fair - this is the best investment platform in the world," said Liang Hongren, a Malaysian merchant.

"I think the Canton Fair brings us so many buyers all over the world. We get some orders from the fair. So I believe we can get more orders in the future and bring our handicraft from Vietnam [to] all over the world," said Le Huu Hhanh, a Vietnamese merchant.

"We are from Türkiye and we need new markets. So it's good for us," said Soykan Karaman, a Turkish merchant.

The second phase of the Canton Fair has also held householdware matchmaking events for exhibitors from countries like Germany, Italy, Japan, and South Korea, with professional buyers and sellers invited to participate.

Statistics show that since its inception, the Canton Fair has welcomed over 9.3 million overseas visitors and forged partnerships with 195 global entities. This session, running from April 15 to May 5 in three five-day installments, will hold over 600 trade promotion activities, marking a historic high in both quantity and diversity.

Launched in 1957 and held twice yearly, the fair is considered a major gauge of China's foreign trade.

Canton Fair attracts many exhibitors from BRI countries in import zone

Any military exercise should not target or harm the interests of a third party, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian at a press briefing in Beijing on Monday.

The spokesman made the remarks when asked to comment on the ongoing joint military drills between the United States and the Philippines.

"With regard to the U.S.-Philippine military cooperation, China has repeatedly stated its solemn position. I would like to reiterate that any military exercise should not target a third party or harm the interests of a third party, undermine the mutual trust among countries in the region, or jeopardize regional peace and stability. I believe that the countries in the region are fully aware of who is provoking military confrontation and raising tensions in the region. We want to remind the countries concerned that, in order to safeguard their own security and development and to maintain peace and stability in the region, the only correct choice is to adhere to good-neighborly friendship, return to dialog and consultation, and insist on strategic independence," said Lin.

According to the Philippine military, the exercise, dubbed "Balikatan 2024," runs from April 22 to May 10, involving around 5,000 Philippine and 11,000 U.S. troops, making it the largest iteration of the Philippines-U.S. joint drills conducted in decades.

Any military exercise should not target third party: Chinese spokesman