1st batch of imported exhibits for 138th Canton Fair arrives in Guangzhou

The first batch of imported exhibits for the 138th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, arrived in south China's Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province on Tuesday.

The exhibits, comprising 103 household appliances, including water heaters, washing machines, and air conditioners made in Egypt, weighs over 6,248 kilograms in total, making it the heaviest single batch of imported exhibits ever recorded in the history of the Canton Fair.

After arriving at the Nansha port, they were smoothly cleared by Guangzhou Customs and transported to the Canton Fair Complex, marking the start of the preparation phase for the event.

"An increasing number of overseas companies are choosing the Canton Fair as an important platform for global marketing and promotion of their products. The variety and quantity of exhibits have seen significant increases," said He Xishan, project manager of the business department of Beijing Waiyun Exhibition Service Co., Ltd.

To facilitate efficient customs clearance for exhibitors and products, Guangzhou Customs has made thorough preparations.

"We have developed a comprehensive customs clearance plan, coordinated with the terminal to arrange berthing and unloading preparations for the Canton Fair exhibits in advance, and set up a dedicated customs clearance window for the exhibits. Priority is given to handling procedures including declaration, inspection, sampling, and testing for participating enterprises, ensuring efficient completion of all regulatory processes, including boarding inspections and exhibit examinations," said Yang Zhangru, deputy section chief of Nansha Port's inspection section under Guangzhou Customs.

"All exhibits temporarily entering China during this Canton Fair will enjoy preferential measures provided by customs, including on-site supervision and exemption from submitting tax guarantees to customs," said Huang Xin, deputy section chief of Customs of Canton Fair Complex under Guangzhou Customs.

The Canton Fair is China's longest-running, largest, most comprehensive, and most widely attended international trade event. The 138th edition of the fair will be held in Guangzhou from Oct 15 to Nov 4, with a total exhibition area of about 1.55 million square meters.

The exhibits cover categories including industrial automation and intelligent manufacturing, new energy vehicles, hardware and building materials, household appliances and home furnishings, and light industrial products.

A total of 55 exhibition zones will be set up at the fair, which is expected to attract over 30,000 global enterprises from 50 countries and regions.

1st batch of imported exhibits for 138th Canton Fair arrives in Guangzhou

A Japanese lawmaker has raised concerns over Japan's push to expand its military and its nuclear policy.

Responding to some politicians' dangerous tendency towards possessing nuclear weapons, Takara Sachika, a member of Japan's House of Councilors, said that Japan's push to strengthen its military, combined with what she called a misguided nuclear policy, not only heightens regional tensions but also directly threatens regional security.

"I think this is completely unacceptable. Japan is a country that has suffered atomic bombings and is one of the nations most aware of the threat posed by nuclear weapons. Yet such a country is openly discussing the issue of possessing nuclear weapons and even attempting to revise the principle of not allowing the introduction of nuclear weapons, one of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. This is an extremely serious problem," Takara said.

Takara said the Japanese government's tendency to expand its military capabilities is completely contrary to the Constitution.

"From the perspective of Japan's Constitution, Japan should never have adopted a policy of ensuring security by strengthening military capabilities. Yet today, enormous effort is being poured into military expansion, and that in itself is a serious problem," said the lawmaker.

At a Diet meeting in early November 2025, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that what she described as the Chinese central authorities' "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, and suggested the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, drawing strong criticism worldwide.

Takara urged Takaichi to retract her erroneous remarks as soon as possible.

"I think there is a very big problem with making such remarks that provoke other countries. It is necessary to thoroughly examine the facts as soon as possible and withdraw the relevant remarks," she said.

Japanese lawmaker criticizes nuclear weapons remarks as threat to regional security