Over 60 pct intended export transactions at 137th Canton Fair made with BRI partners: spokesman

Over 60 percent of intended export transactions at the just concluded 137th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, were made with Belt and Road partner countries, said He Yadong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, at a press conference in Beijing on Thursday.

The event concluded in south China's Guangdong Province on May 5, showcasing the remarkable strength of China's export-import sector.

This session of Canton Fair has set new historical records in the number of exhibiting enterprises and overseas purchasers attending the event.

Exhibitors displayed over 4.55 million products on-site during the 20-day-long event, including 1.02 million new products, 880,000 green low-carbon ones, and 320,000 intelligent ones.

As of May 4, the event drew a total of over 280,000 overseas buyers from 219 countries and regions, representing a 17.3 percent increase compared with the 135th session held last spring.

"The intended export transaction volume at this session of the Canton Fair reached 25.44 billion U.S. dollars, increasing by 3 percent year-on-year. The deals with Belt and Road partner countries accounted for more than 60 percent, becoming an important engine driving the growth of transaction volume. The traditional markets saw stable transactions. After the event concluded, many purchasers made field trips to enterprises and factories. It is expected that more cooperation can be reached in the future," said He.

Noting that this session of Canton Fair cut booth fees by 50 percent for export exhibitors to help exporters navigate global trade challenges, the spokesman informed that the refund and settlement of waived fees are being carried out in an orderly manner to ensure that this measure is implemented for every participating enterprise.

Over 60 pct intended export transactions at 137th Canton Fair made with BRI partners: spokesman

Over 60 pct intended export transactions at 137th Canton Fair made with BRI partners: spokesman

President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Jae Myung has expressed his hope that his upcoming visit to China will help eliminate past misunderstandings and issues, underscoring the importance of ties between the two countries.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Lee will pay a state visit to China from Jan 4 to 7. It will be Lee's first visit to China since he took office.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Seoul on Wednesday, Lee acknowledged the existing misunderstandings and issues between the two countries, noting that addressing these issues is a key goal of his visit.

"The current international landscape is turbulent, with escalating issues among various countries. In this context, the relationship between the Republic of Korea and China holds significant importance for us. the ROK and China are deeply interconnected in many areas, including history, economy, geopolitics, politics and security. Northeast Asia's peace, stability, mutual respect, and common prosperity are crucial for both countries," said Lee.

"Admittedly, there have been some misunderstandings and issues between the ROK and China, which have hindered the development of bilateral relations to some extent. Therefore, the purpose of my upcoming visit to China is to minimize or eliminate these past issues, foster a leap in our bilateral relations to a new level, and solidify the ROK and China as partners that mutually support each other's development," he said.

ROK President hopes to reduce misunderstandings with China during upcoming visit