Third phase of 137th Canton Fair opens in Guangzhou

The third phase of the 137th China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair, opened in Guangzhou on Thursday, showcasing a wide variety of consumer goods.

Launched on April 15, this year's Canton Fair is divided into three themed phases -- "Advanced Manufacturing," "Quality Home Living," and the current phase, "Better Life," which focuses on products closely tied to everyday needs.

Showcased products include maternity and baby products, clothing and accessories, stationery, food, pet supplies, and health and leisure items.

The phrase features five specialized sections across 21 exhibition zones, hosting over 2,200 high-quality and distinctive enterprises, an increase of more than 100 exhibitors compared to the previous session. These include national-level high-tech companies, manufacturing champions in specific sectors, and "little giant" enterprises that apply special, sophisticated techniques to produce unique and novel products.

The import exhibition is particularly notable, with 205 participating companies from 21 Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries such as Türkiye and Malaysia accounting for around 70 percent of the total international exhibitors.

In response to evolving global trade dynamics and market demands, the Canton Fair is collaborating with over 100 professional institutions and leading corporate representatives to host nearly 20 forums and conferences. These events focus on key topics such as global economic trends, policy-driven industry development, and strategies to boost corporate resilience.

During this third phase, five dedicated forums will be held, covering sectors such as luggage and bags, sports and outdoor leisure products, pharmaceuticals, health supplements, and medical devices. These sessions aim to provide in-depth insights into industrial development pathways under China's "dual circulation" strategy, helping enterprises stay ahead of industry trends and seize new opportunities.

To mark Chinese Sturgeon Protection Day, around 550,000 Chinese sturgeons were released into Jingzhou and Yichang sections of the Yangtze River in central China's Hubei Province, as well as in Shanghai, on Saturday.

Nicknamed "aquatic pandas," Chinese sturgeons have existed for over 140 million years. However, the natural population of the species in the Yangtze plummeted in the late 20th century due to intrusive human activities.

The fish is primarily protected through artificial breeding followed by release into the natural environment. In recent years, China has made significant conservation efforts, including expanding artificial breeding and release and fostering natural breeding of the species.

The annual releases of captive-bred Chinese sturgeons have exceeded 1 million for two consecutive years since 2024, effectively replenishing wild populations of the endangered species.