Canton Fair helps suburban businesses go global

The Canton Fair, China's largest trade fair dubbed the "barometer" of the country's foreign trade, is helping small businesses from suburban regions explore global markets through its international impact.

The ongoing 136th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, is providing opportunities for businesses from Chinese counties and rural areas to promote their specialty products among international buyers.

A carpet company from Cuihuangkou Town of north China's Tianjin Municipality, which can directly 3D print customized items based on customer requests, showcases a wide array of new offerings at the fair.

"We have developed about 100 products aimed at markets in Europe, the United States, Germany, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Our customers are very pleased with these products, with many placing orders right on the spot. I think this exhibition has been quite successful," said Chen Fanglin, an exhibitor.

With a long history in carpet production, Cuihuangkou is recognized as the "hometown of carpets". The town is home to over 1,200 carpet companies, creating a comprehensive carpet industry that features pattern design, processing and manufacturing, logistics and warehousing.

The Canton Fair has become a key platform for those companies to showcase their carpets to customers from both home and abroad.

"We first participated in the Canton Fair in 2007, and it has been about 17 years since then without interruption. The Canton Fair is relatively well-known on the international level," said Zhang Qiang, an exhibitor.

To better support county-level industries to expand globally, the fair has established a dedicated area for showcasing specialty products from rural and county regions. The section features 227 booths covering 19 categories, including food, sports, tourism and leisure products.

Many unique agricultural products and handicrafts are now opting to go abroad collectively to enhance their international competitiveness and better integrate into the global industrial, supply and value chains.

"We are a company based in Zhaotong City of Yunnan Province. We have brought our local specialties to the Canton Fair, aiming to promote our hometown products to global customers." said Xin Jianlin, an exhibitor.

"We are from Xihe County in Gansu Province's Longnan City. Our booth is a joint booth displaying the agricultural products and handicrafts from several companies." said Zhou Qiang, another exhibitor.

The 136th Canton Fair opened on Oct. 15 and will run through Nov. 4 in three phases, with the first phase ending on Oct 19, the second running from Oct 23 to 27, and the third phase starting on Oct 31.

Over 190,000 overseas buyers from 212 countries and regions participated in the first two phases of the ongoing Canton Fair, up 3.4 percent from the same phases of its previous edition.

Launched in 1957, the biannual Canton Fair takes place every spring and autumn in south China's Guangzhou City.

Canton Fair helps suburban businesses go global

China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Fu Cong, said that China supports the preservation of Yemen's national sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and calls for political talks to address regional disputes

Fu made his statement at the 10105th meeting of the UN Security Council on the Middle East on Thursday.

"The international community should double its efforts and work together to promote an early political settlement of the Yemen issue. China supports the preservation of Yemen's sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. We urge all parties to address their differences through political dialogue, work towards early reconciliation and swift resumption of economic reconstruction. We urge all Yemeni parties to exercise calm and restraint, to refrain from the use of force or any actions that could reignite conflict, and to preserve stability on the ground. China will continue to work together with the international community to make unremitting efforts towards achieving a political settlement of the Yemeni issue and restoring peace and stability across the Middle East," Fu said.

During the meeting, the U.S. representative noted that ships bound for Houthi-controlled ports should strictly comply with the UN verification and inspection procedures to ensure full implementation of the arms embargo adopted in the UNSC Resolution 2216, with a deliberate emphasis on ships "originating from Chinese ports."

In response to the groundless innuendo, Fu emphasized that China has been implementing strict control over military and dual-use items, and the legal and normal commercial activities between Chinese companies and other countries should not be accused of.

"In response to the relevant statement by the U.S. representative, I wish to stress that China has been strictly upholding and implementing Council resolutions, and faithfully fulfilling its international obligations. China's approach to the export of military equipment has always been prudent and responsible. Our control of dual-use items has always been stringent. In the meantime, Chinese companies have the right under WTO rules and market principles to carry out normal commercial and trade cooperation with all countries. The U.S. representative, without presenting any evidence, has resorted to insinuation and groundless accusations against China. We find this regrettable, and we reject such accusations," Fu said.

China calls for political settlement of Yemen issue at Security Council meeting