136th Canton Fair features digital, green future of global trade

The 136th China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair, is set to open on Tuesday in Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong in the south, featuring the digital and green future of global trade.

As of last Friday, 138,000 overseas buyers from 209 countries and regions had pre-registered for the 136th Canton Fair, which will take place in three phases through Nov. 4.

And 223 of the world's top 250 global retailers are expected to attend, up 24 percent from the previous edition.

Nearly 4,600 companies from home and abroad will hold exhibitions for the first time, and 8,000 leading Chinese startups and major players in the domestic high-tech and manufacturing sectors will attend.

This year's exhibition will feature 74,000 booths across 55 zones covering a total area of 1.55 million square meters.

"The overseas buyers have traveled across oceans and journeyed thousands of miles to the Canton Fair, which reflects the global business community's trust in Chinese products and their confidence in the Chinese economy," said Chu Shijia, the Canton Fair's deputy director and secretary general, at a press conference in Beijing on Oct. 10.

As many as 390,000 digital and smart products and 1.04 million green and low-carbon ones, a surge of 300 percent and 130 percent from the 135th fair, respectively, will be presented at the fair.

For the first time, the fair will feature hydrogen energy products in its new energy section and dedicate a new section to energy storage solutions, with the expected attendance of 110 enterprises in the related sector.

According to Chu, Chinese products and brands will be in the limelight at this fair.

"At the Canton Fair, Chinese products and brands have reached a new level of high-quality development. Amid the wide array of fine products to be displayed at this fair, Chinese products stand out for their high quality and cost-effectiveness as well as trendiness and high level of safety, indicating that China has the confidence and capability to provide the world with more and better products made and created in China," he said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) after the press conference.

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

136th Canton Fair features digital, green future of global trade

A delegation of 40 students and teachers from seven Chinese mainland universities on Thursday wrapped up their nine-day visit to Taiwan. They set off for Taiwan on Nov. 27 and visited universities, historical sites, scenic spots, as well as sports, sci-tech and cultural venues on the island, widely engaging with locals throughout the tour.

The delegation made the tour at the invitation of the Taiwan-based Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation.

"The young people from both sides of the Strait share the same root, and we are having a harmonious communication this time. We also welcome young people from Taiwan to visit the mainland for exchange," Cao Yibo, a student from Peking University, told reporters during the tour.

The delegation included table tennis Olympic champion Ma Long who studies at Beijing Sport University, and air rifle Olympic champion Yang Qian of Tsinghua University.

"In the future, I would like to visit Taiwan again. I did not expect that so many compatriots in Taiwan would come to welcome and us and pay so much attention to our exchange tour," Ma said.

Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, saw off the delegation at the airport on Thursday, and said the mainland students and teachers had received Taiwan residents' heartfelt welcome wherever they went.

"The farewell dinner party was held yesterday evening, when almost all students from the mainland shared their feelings. What moved me so much is that every one of them thanked people here, because the latter sincerely and warmly welcomed them wherever they went during the nine-day tour. They told me that when they go back, they will tell their relatives and friends that people in Taiwan are kind, hospitable and warm. I believe that is the most important purpose of the exchange across the Strait," he said.

Calling youth exchanges a foundation of cross-Strait relations in the future, Hsiao said the foundation will carry on and continue to promote such exchanges across the Strait.

This is the second delegation of mainland teachers and students visiting Taiwan at the invitation of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, following the visit by a first delegation in July last year.

Delegation of mainland university students, teachers wraps up Taiwan visit