Innovative products and cutting-edge technologies have helped Chinese exhibitors discover fresh overseas business development opportunities at the 138th Canton Fair, even amid mounting global trade headwinds.
During the first phase of the 138th Canton Fair, officially known as the China Import and Export Fair, which ran from Wednesday to Sunday in south China's Guangzhou City, American buyer Faris returned to the motorcycle exhibition zone to reconnect with a familiar partner: a sports technology company based in east China's affluent Zhejiang Province.
At the fair, the two met once again to discuss expanding their business operation in the U.S. market.
"The quality of this product, the design of this product, and how it will be successful in the United States, this is actually the main point that I'm coming over here right now," said Faris.
Having sourced motorcycles from the Chinese firm for 15 years and grown into one of America's top distributors, Faris now faces a challenging trade landscape: the U.S. threatens to impose an additional 100-percent tariff on Chinese goods next month, on top of the existing 30-percent tariff.
"The effect of it is already there, because a lot of people already stopped their shipment," said Faris.
During their talks, Faris requested a price reduction. However, the Chinese company offered a different solution.
"Where we can't meet your price expectations, we can compensate through quality and design improvement," said Pang Changyuan, senior executive at the Zhejiang firm.
The company introduced to Faris a new product in development -- an electric motorcycle powered by a globally leading axial motor. The new model is 20 percent lighter than conventional fuel-powered motorcycles and delivers significantly enhanced performance.
"People are willing to pay a little bit more for quality and for design. They may go and try to find another supplier somewhere else. I would rather just to sit with those factories and try to work something together with them, so we can survive both," said Faris.
To seal the partnership, the Chinese company proposed developing products tailored specifically to U.S. consumer preferences, with a rapid six-month timeline to launch. The two sides quickly reached an agreement, signing a 10 million-U.S.-dollar order on the spot.
"As the business environment changes, we need to respond in various ways. We call every year a 'year of survival', but in the end, we always deliver great results. So, I'm still quite confident," said Ying Er, chairwoman of the company.
Like this Zhejiang firm, many other Chinese exporters are swiftly adjusting strategies by accelerating technological upgrades and launching new products to retain long-standing clients and tap into new markets. This agile, innovation-driven approach has become one of the defining highlights of the 138th Canton Fair.
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.
The second phase of the 138th Canton Fair is scheduled to run from Oct. 23 to 27, followed by the third phase from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4.
Innovative products help Chinese exhibitors uncover fresh opportunities at Canton Fair
The three astronauts of China's Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceflight mission returned safely to Earth on Friday after completing their planned tasks aboard the Tiangong space station.
The return capsule of the Shenzhou-22 spaceship, carrying Shenzhou-21 astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 20:11 Beijing Time (1211 GMT), according to the China Manned Space Agency.
The returned astronauts were reported to be in good physical condition after landing, according to staff on site.
Zhang Lu was the first to exit the return capsule after it touched down on Earth.
"I'm thrilled to once again return to the embrace of our motherland. The Shenzhou-21 crew's seven-month stay in orbit would not have been possible without the care of our families and comrades, the support of leaders at all levels and all colleagues involved in the project, and above all, the backing of our country and our people. One sentence sums up my thoughts on my second space mission: 'It takes a whole team's devotion to make one person's voyage into the sea of stars,' " Zhang said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) shortly after he was carried out of the return capsule.
"I also have a gift to share with everyone. On the day of the Shenzhou-21 launch, the ground support team gave us an apple, wishing us a safe and smooth mission. Our safe return is their greatest wish. Tomorrow is May 30, the National Science and Technology Workers' Day. So when we left the space station, we specifically brought back an apple. We want to give it to all science and technology workers, and say 'thank you for your hard work'. At the same time, I wish our space industry continued prosperity, and every mission safe and smooth," he said.
"Returning to Earth and to the embrace of our motherland, I feel extremely secure and proud. Being entrusted with such a significant responsibility in my first space mission is a great honor. It is the trust of my country, the guidance of my predecessors, and the teamwork of the entire crew that enabled me to successfully complete the mission. This mission has taught me that the most beautiful posture of youth is to march out for the country. I will turn this space experience into the driving force for my continued progress, and continue to fight and strive for the manned space program," said crew member Wu Fei.
"From the ground laboratory to China's space station, it is our great motherland that has enabled me to achieve a perfect integration of my scientific ideals and spaceflight dreams. With the support of the entire project team, the assistance of researchers and scientists, and the care of so many people, our crew has worked as one and successfully completed all assigned scientific projects, including the first successful in-orbit breeding of small mammals, the growing of a thriving space vegetable garden with an even wider varieties, and the collection of valuable data from projects such as in-situ electrochemical and optical studies on lithium-ion batteries," said Zhang Hongzhang, who was the last of the astronauts to exit the spacecraft.
"Looking at Earth from space, I deeply felt that humanity is an indivisible community with a shared future. Now that I am back on Earth and have returned to my motherland, I feel an immense sense of security and warmth. Going forward, I will continue to build on these achievements and contribute to making China a strong power in space, science and technology," he said.
The returned crew members will now head to Beijing by plane and enter a quarantined recovery period, during which they will undergo comprehensive medical examinations and health assessments and start their recuperation process.
Prior to their return, the astronauts completed all planned tasks and handed over the space station to their three colleagues of the Shenzhou-23 mission who boarded the space station on May 25.
The crew's planned stay in-orbit was extended by approximately one month to further verify the technologies regarding the long-term stay of astronauts in orbit and fully use the supplies delivered by the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft in an emergency launch.
The Shenzhou-21 crew's original spaceship, which sent them into space on Oct 31 last year, was previously returned to Earth carrying the astronauts of the preceding Shenzhou-20 mission after tiny cracks were found in the viewport window of the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft's return capsule. That spacecraft was later safely brought back to Earth.
Shenzhou-21 crew return to Earth after successful seven-month mission in space
