Over 5,000 exhibitors gather for Int'l Furniture Fair in Guangzhou

The 57th China International Furniture Fair opened on Wednesday in Guangzhou City, south China's Guangdong Province, drawing together a record-high of over 5,100 exhibitors with eye-catching innovative products.

A major highlight of the fair is the complementary industrial loop formed by age-friendly home furnishings, smart elderly care, and rehabilitation nursing.

For example, one eye-catching product is a smart bed that uses AI-powered dynamic vital sign detection to capture real-time health data such as blood oxygen, blood pressure, heart rate, and deep fatigue index.

"We have a 6-minute smart sleep aid that consists of three stages: the first minute features low-frequency vibration, the following two minutes feature a baby-like cradle experience, and the last three minutes feature a full-body wave-like motion," said the exhibitor.

Closely following current consumer trends, the event this year features four special exhibition zones for the first time: health and elderly care, pet furniture, massage chairs and sofas, and new retail. As pets increasingly become members of families, many innovative new products are emerging in pet furniture and related accessories.

"If a pet gets a patch of the sofa dirty while using it, we can easily remove and wash that patch separately, extending the product's lifespan. We also have a very interesting dish rack with an observation window, allowing you to watch your pet eat – it's quite psychic healing," said an exhibitor who makes innovative pet products.

The fair is divided into two phases. The first phase runs from the March 18 to 21, focusing on residential home furnishing products, while the second phase will be held from March 28 to 31, mainly showcasing office and commercial products.

Over 5,000 exhibitors gather for Int'l Furniture Fair in Guangzhou

Several airlines have announced reductions in scheduled flights as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has driven up oil prices, which are posing a challenge to the global aviation industry.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby on Friday announced the company will reduce its planned capacity by about 5 percent in the second and third quarters of 2026 to cope with soaring aviation fuel costs caused by high oil prices.

If prices hold at current elevated levels, the company could face an extra 11 billion U.S. dollars in annual fuel expenses.

Air New Zealand has already implemented cuts, announcing it will reduce around 1,100 flights through early May 2026, equivalent to about five percent of its domestic and international scheduled services. The move is expected to impact roughly 44,000 passengers.

Scandinavian Airlines has also confirmed plans to cancel around 1,000 flights in April 2026.

In Vietnam, authorities have warned the local aviation sector to prepare for possible flight cuts in April, due to the increasing risks of aviation fuel supply shortages.

Fuel costs are one of the largest operating expenses for airlines. Recent market data shows benchmark prices jumping from the range of 85-90 U.S. dollars per barrel to 150-200 U.S. dollars per barrel in recent weeks.

To offset pressures, several carriers including Qantas, Air France-KLM and Air India, have implemented fare increases or higher fuel surcharges on various routes.

Airlines reduce scheduled flights to cope with soaring oil prices