The 138th China Import and Export Fair opened on Wednesday in Guangzhou City of south China's Guangdong Province, debuting about 794,000 innovative products and catching the eyes of buyers from around the world.
Also known as the Canton Fair, the ongoing event is divided into three phases, with each phase lasting for five days.
The first phase, running from Oct 15 to 19, focuses on advanced manufacturing, including electronic appliances and industrial equipment.
The service robots section of the fair is filled with scenes of robotic arms operating precisely, robot dogs navigating flexibly to avoid obstacles, and humanoid robots interacting with visitors.
An exhibition booth presented an amazing scenario of a flexible robotic arm quickly threading a needle, controlled by an exhibitor using a VR joystick. It has been packed with buyers.
"The Canton Fair is a very important window for us to learn about the demands in different countries and regions. Knowing what the consumers care about the most is very beneficial for us to improve and optimize our products and designs constantly," said Gong Ziyu, an exhibitor.
There is a record of more than 10,000 quality Chinese enterprises, including hi-tech firms and SMEs that use specialized and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products or manufacturing champions for a particular sector. They are showcasing their new products and research and development capabilities, seeking new business opportunities at the fair.
"The Canton Fair is a bridge for China's foreign trade. We bring our best products to the event, hoping to reach global consumers through this platform," said Yu Fangwen, another exhibitor.
The ongoing Canton Fair is expected to present 1.07 million products developed in the past year and 1.098 million products for which Chinese companies own independent intellectual property rights, according to organizers.
Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is held twice a year. 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.
138th Canton Fair debuts 794,000 innovative products
138th Canton Fair debuts 794,000 innovative products
138th Canton Fair debuts 794,000 innovative products
Japanese citizens held rallies on Thursday outside the headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the National Diet building in Tokyo, protesting Japan's weapons export policies.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, agreed at a meeting on Monday to revise the implementation guidelines of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology and lift restrictions that limit defense equipment transfers to five noncombat purposes. And they planned to submit the proposal to the cabinet in February next year.
Demonstrators chanted slogans, calling for a complete ban on arms exports, denouncing the ruling parties, and demanding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the cabinet to step down.
"I believe that Japan must never become a 'weapons merchant.' At present, there are already some companies in Japan engaged in weapons-related industries. Not only does the government fail to stop this, it is actually promoting it, attempting to revive the economy in this way. I find this extremely dangerous, and it makes me deeply dissatisfied. I want to make my opposition clear," a protester said.
Another voiced concern over Takaichi's erroneous and provocative remarks on China's Taiwan region.
"Japan has never recognized Taiwan as a country. Under the premise of respecting the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan, the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, and the Potsdam Proclamation, Japan should abide by these documents. But now the Japanese government is ignoring them. Is this a deliberate move, or that Prime Minister Takaichi simply does not understand the contents? This is deeply unsettling. It is totally disrupting the current situation and undermining Japan's position in international relations," said a demonstrator.
A third rally participant said a dangerous shift has been taking place in Japan.
"Recently, some people have started talking about 'possessing nuclear weapons.' In fact, over the past 20 to 30 years, the threshold for such discussions has been gradually lowered. The moral restraints that once hold back these debates, the [right] path Japan should follow, and its commitment to pacifism have been continuously weakened and dismantled. While the situation has worsened sharply due to Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks, this is actually the result of a trend lasting for decades. Both the lawmakers and the public lack sufficient awareness of and reflection on this ongoing trend. I am very concerned about this," another protester said.
Japanese protesters rally against arms exports in Tokyo
