China’s 138th Canton Fair opened its doors Wednesday in south China's Guangzhou, launching the "Advanced Manufacturing" phase with a record number of global buyers eager to explore cutting-edge robotics, electronics, and industrial tech.
Spanning five key sectors, including electronics, home appliances, and industrial machinery, the phase offers early access to China’s latest manufacturing breakthroughs.
According to organizers, more than 240,000 buyers from 218 countries and regions have preregistered for the fair, marking a 10 percent increase from the previous session.
Notable growth has been seen in attendance from the European Union, the U.S., and emerging markets, particularly those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.
On opening day alone, over 69,000 overseas buyers were recorded, up 6.9 percent year on year, highlighting the fair’s expanding global reach.
In the service robot zone, where 46 leading industry players are showcasing humanoid robots, robotic dogs, and other advanced technologies, a young U.S. buyer was captivated by a dexterous robotic hand.
"I look for kind of three qualities when looking for robots. So I look for dexterous hands, I look for a wheel-based structure and I look for a friendly, semi-humanoid type of robot that is able to go to a charging station and recharge by itself. Those are the three things that I would say really attract me," he said.
The young entrepreneur, who runs an automation software company in the United States, is developing a robot to replace manual transportation in supermarkets, where labor costs run high. He came to the Canton Fair this time around to find suitable hardware products.
"We're looking to spend around 20,000 to 60,000 US dollars for our first pilot store in robotics. And then once we have a proven concept in retail stores, we are looking to scale there and potentially expand that number from 10 to 50 stores a year, and hopefully growing exponentially from there," he said. Another buyer from Bangladesh, where urban infrastructure struggles to cope with heavy rainfall, sees strong demand for water pumps suited for sewage and flood control.
"I placed some orders here. My main business is induction motor and water pumps, so it's around 100,000 U.S. dollars, the value," he said.
In the new energy exhibition zone, a buyer from Egypt signed a contract and placed a 20,000-U.S.-dollar deposit after selecting photovoltaic bracket products from a Chinese company.
"China now becomes one of the best quality in the world. As this time around 200,000 U.S. dollar and now almost 70 percent," he said.
"This is the first order where we receive a deposit at this 138th fair, but it is probably the tenth letter of intent," said an exhibitor.
Running until Nov 4 in three phases, this edition has set new historical records with a total exhibition area of 1.55 million square meters, featuring 74,600 booths and more than 32,000 participating enterprises, according to its organizers.
Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is held twice a year in spring and autumn. 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.
Global buyers flock to Canton Fair as China showcases advanced manufacturing, robotics
