Canton Fair facilitates Chinese exporters' pivot to domestic market

The ongoing 137th China Import and Export Fair, commonly known as Canton Fair, has become a pivotal platform for Chinese exporters to pivot to the domestic market, with new matchmaking initiatives and government-backed policies driving the transition.

As of April 19, the fair attracted over 148,000 overseas buyers from 216 countries and regions, marking a 20.2-percent increase from the 135th edition two years ago. The second phase of the fair will begin on April 23, following the first phase from April 15 to 19.

To bolster the resilience of foreign trade enterprises amid global challenges, the province of Guangdong hosted the "Foreign Trade Premium Products Guangdong Tour and Domestic Buyer Matchmaking Event" on Friday.

The event featured innovative measures such as policy support, platform development, and channel collaboration, aimed at stimulating domestic consumption and accelerating the shift of foreign trade products into the local market.

At the event, over 300 foreign trade enterprises showcased a range of products, including electronics, electrical appliances, and automotive parts.

More than 360 domestic buyers, including large retail vendors and e-commerce platforms, participated in matchmaking sessions. This facilitated deals worth over 680 million yuan (over 93 million U.S. dollars), further integrating foreign trade with domestic consumption.

"We launched a 'Direct Express' service, which delivers products to various procurement teams within 24 hours to facilitate communication with our partners, aiming to quickly list products and make them available to consumers," said Liu Junyan, senior professional manager at the South China Office of China Resources Vanguard, the supermarket chain.

"Currently, our ratio of domestic to foreign sales is about 3:7. As a company focused on foreign trade, we are not only optimistic about but also urgently need the domestic market. We will make full use of the policies provided by the government, as well as online platforms, e-commerce live streaming, and other channels, to accelerate the transition from foreign trade to domestic sales," said Zeng Shaohui, general manager of Bella Intelligent Information Technology, a producer of AI-powered health products based in Guangzhou.

As e-commerce platforms play a crucial role in helping foreign trade enterprises expand into the domestic market, platforms like Jingxi, JD.com's strategic business targeting lower-tier markets, are helping to lower the entry barriers for many foreign enterprises.

"We specifically target small and medium-sized traders and manufacturers who export products. They don't need in-depth business knowledge; they just need to work with us on packaging. We handle everything -- from item collection to logistics, customer service, and operations. This enables more businesses to easily enter the export-to-domestic e-commerce platform. Currently, our export-to-domestic products are receiving 200 million daily views, with daily sales reaching 10 million yuan," said Qiu Changbin, head of export-to-domestic sales division at JD.com’s Jingxi Business Division.

Business departments across Guangdong are rolling out policies to support the transition of foreign trade enterprises into the domestic market. By leveraging platform resources, building convenient channels, and accurately matching market demand, these efforts are helping enterprises accelerate their expansion.

"To address the current complex and challenging foreign trade situation, we have introduced 18 measures to promote the integration of domestic and foreign trade. These include developing an integrated online platform, linking multiple e-commerce platforms, launching a 24-hour green channel for domestic sales, a 15-day rapid listing process, and a trillion-yuan procurement support plan. These measures are specifically designed to tackle the bottlenecks faced by foreign trade enterprises. So far, we have successfully helped over 400 foreign trade enterprises expand into the domestic market," said Wei Min, director of the Guangzhou Bureau of Commerce.

Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is held twice a year in Guangzhou. It is the longest-running of several comprehensive international trade events in China and has been hailed as the barometer of China's foreign trade.

Canton Fair facilitates Chinese exporters' pivot to domestic market

Canton Fair facilitates foreign trade expansion into domestic market

The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.

In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.

"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.

Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."

Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.

President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.

Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests