The 138th China Import and Export Fair, widely known as the Canton Fair, concluded Tuesday in Guangzhou, south China, setting a new record with over 310,000 overseas buyers from 223 countries and regions.
The turnout marked a 7.5 percent increase from the previous edition.
Exhibitors and buyers from China and abroad reported strong gains during the expo, with many already preparing for the next Canton Fair, slated for April next year.
"This is our first time here, and to be honest, we've gained a lot. For the next Canton Fair, we hope to bring more of our AI products and robotics to showcase China's advanced offerings to global visitors and secure more business opportunities and orders," said Zheng Hongxia, an exhibitor from Shenzhen of Guangdong.
"The Canton Fair evolves significantly each year, with improvements in technology, a wider variety of products, as well as enhanced quality and services. This platform has been incredibly helpful for us. This year, we recommended over 200 entrepreneurs to attend, and our goal for next time is to recommend around 1,000," said Muhammad, a representative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan.
"The Canton Fair is the largest and best import-export trade fair in the world. It offers a good chance for us to find new partners for cooperation," said an exhibitor from South Korea.
"I think it's a very famous exhibition all around the world, it's very good," said Sergei, a Russian buyer.
The 139th Canton Fair will take place from April 15 to May 5 next year. Organizers said preparations will soon begin to enhance the services offered at the event.
"Following the conclusion of this Canton Fair, we will promptly start preparing for the next edition, continuously optimizing the structure of participating enterprises and products to better support the high-quality development of foreign trade," said Ma Xiaohan, a staff member of the Canton Fair Office at the China Foreign Trade Centre.
138th Canton Fair wraps up with record attendance of over 310,000 overseas buyers
China's 15th Five-Year Plan proposal sends a strong signal of the country's commitment to upholding openness and cooperation, which will promote further development for the country and the world, said officials and scholars around the world.
The draft 15th Five-Year Plan, the blueprint that will guide the world's second-largest economy from 2026 to 2030, is central to steer China to move toward modernization amid technological disruption, demographic shifts and an increasingly fractured global order, according to the scholars.
"China's 15th Five-Year Plan is not a rigid model; it is more like benchmarks for growth targets and focal points. Chinese economists and economic decision-makers are not just focusing on qualitative growth, but also on innovative development. We're witnessing new transportation methods, robotics and artificial intelligence," said Andrey Denisov, first deputy chair of Russia's Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs and former Russian Ambassador to China.
"The 15th Five-Year Plan is of great importance to China's development. The country is poised to make remarkable advancements in various sectors, including artificial intelligence, high-end manufacturing and infrastructure construction. Given the shifting global context and China's transition towards high-quality development, I am confident that this plan will herald a new era for China's development," said Kamel Mansari, news director of the French-language daily Le Jeune Independent.
Scholars also noted that China's commitment to high-quality development and high-level opening-up will promote win-win results and benefit the world.
"China has emerged as a key partner for most countries worldwide, and a preferred partner due to its closeness and integration with global communities, as well as its strong humanitarian perspective. The Chinese economy has not only benefited itself; it has helped many economies worldwide flourish through its partnerships," said Dirgham Muhammad Ali, an Iraqi economic expert.
China's National People's Congress (NPC) is scheduled to open in Beijing on Wednesday, with lawmakers set to approve the 15th Five-Year Plan.
15th Five-Year Plan to guide China's development, benefit world: scholars
