Despite the mounting pressure of U.S. tariff hikes, American buyers are still busy placing orders and discussing how to tackle trade challenges with Chinese suppliers at the 137th edition of the Canton Fair.
Several executives at Chinese foreign trade companies said that, despite the impact of U.S. tariffs, their companies are still seeing strong overseas orders at the Canton Fair, with a notable portion coming from American buyers.
The concern among these American buyers revolves around potential damage to their businesses should the supply of goods be disrupted.
They also emphasized that American customers are even more anxious than suppliers; they not only have a demand for products but also find themselves compelled to accept price hikes.
Harbor Freight Tools stood out at the Canton Fair with its prominent branding -- actively placing orders despite media reports of U.S. business inactivity at the expo.
Zhuang Jie, the U.S. company's Shanghai-based procurement head, emphasized that American buyers are currently prioritizing existing inventory management over seeking alternative suppliers.
"In response, the U.S. is actually considering how to handle the products that have already been manufactured in factories," Zhuang said.
"American buyers are not likely to easily switch suppliers based on pricing alone because there are quality requirements to meet when exporting. These quality standards involve a comprehensive process that may take a month or even half a year or longer to complete," he said.
At the Canton Fair, durable goods -- particularly generators and automotive repair tools -- continue to dominate China's exports to the U.S. While these products have longer replacement cycles, they represent indispensable, frequently used items in American households.
According to the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, when inventory dwindles, the U.S. market will inevitably rebound, as it relies on the indispensable "Made in China" products.
Moreover, many foreign trade companies at the exhibition emphasized that, within the current landscape, American customers are not severing ties with them. Instead, they are actively seeking collaborative solutions to tackle challenges collectively.
"Well, I mean our hopes are that it'll all get figured out. We also had this trip kind of planned before the tariffs, so we were still coming, just to see anyways and go from there. Well, we had some friends who used to participate here in the Canton Fair, but they're not here anymore, but we've already met with them outside," said Manoel de Souza, an American buyer.
"I am really impressed. He (an American customer of ours) didn't just say, 'I'm going to cut off your business,' but rather, 'Let's figure out how to solve this issue together.' And this time, when he came over, he also selected some of our new products," said Li Wenhui, an exhibitor from a Guangzhou-based automotive supplies company.
"Our response is to maintain close cooperation with our suppliers and bulk purchase to alleviate the pressure brought about by these tariffs," said Yang Bojia, another exhibitor from a Shenzhen-based sci-tech company.
According to Zhuang, Harbor Freight Tools has been working with Chinese suppliers for several decades and is in no rush to abandon any Chinese supplier.
"As we have had partnerships with many suppliers for not just a few years but for 10, 20, and even over 30 years, which aligns with my own tenure in the industry, we are not going to abandon any Chinese supplier easily, because of the longstanding relationships we have nurtured," Zhuang said.
US buyers flock to Canton Fair to secure supply despite tariffs
