Canton Fair continues 'Trade Bridge' matchmaking events

China

Canton Fair continues 'Trade Bridge' matchmaking events

2026-04-24 15:54 Last Updated At：16:07

The 139th China Import and Export Fair, or Canton Fair, continues to host "Trade Bridge" buyer-supplier matchmaking events, designed to better address the core needs of both parties while facilitating two-way trade.

Among the international attendees is Ilirjan Koneshlini, a buyer from Albania who has participated in seven consecutive editions of the Canton Fair since 2023. In addition to exploring the exhibition halls, Koneshlini has focused much of his energy on attending the officially organized "Trade Bridge" matchmaking events.

Over the past three years, he has established partnerships with seven Chinese suppliers through various trade promotion events. At the current edition of the Canton Fair, he has already reached preliminary cooperation agreements with three additional Chinese suppliers.

"I have seen matchmaking as a very important event. They would like to align their economic interests and strategic interests, so that happens very well during the matchmaking. It has been quite a help for my businesses," he said.

To further enhance the effectiveness of these matchmaking efforts, the 139th Canton Fair has upgraded the procurement service area for leading enterprises. For the first time, the fair has introduced a reservation-only exclusive negotiation zone, where buyers and suppliers can reserve negotiation spaces free of charge, enjoying a more comfortable and private environment for discussions.

The current edition of the Canton Fair runs from April 15 till May 5 in Guangzhou City, south China's Guangdong Province in three phases, each highlighting categories from advanced manufacturing to home living and lifestyle products. Covering 1.55 million square meters, the fair features 75,700 booths and more than 32,000 enterprises, including about 3,900 first-time exhibitors. Phase Two opened on Thursday with a focus on showcasing home-living products.

Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is held twice a year in Guangzhou. It is the longest-running comprehensive international trade event in China and has been hailed as a barometer of China's foreign trade.

Soaring fuel costs from Iran war squeeze fishermen's profits in Spain

The surge in fuel prices triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has squeezed fishermen's profits in Spain, putting thousands of fishing industry jobs in peril.

The war in Iran has been raging since February 28, disrupting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 percent of the world's oil traverses, causing oil prices to increase.

In Spain, some fishermen are now questioning the future of their business amid skyrocketing diesel costs. Lucas Ramis, who recently invested in a new boat, said the high price of fuel is putting his livelihood at risk.

Spain is the world's largest octopus market, consuming as much as 85,000 tons annually. Despite this vast market, Ramis said they sometimes haul in as little as 10 kilograms of octopus, which is barely enough to cover the cost of starting the engines.

"Today, going out to work costs more than the work itself," said Ramis.

"Many people moor their boats on the shore, while people like us have to go out to work," he added.

The Spanish government announced a six-billion U.S. dollar aid package in March to alleviate the effects of the fuel crisis resulting from the Iran war, including around 30 million dollars for the fishing industry.

However, continuing volatility means prices could stay high and some say the subsidies sometimes don't reach their targets.

"The fuel price has seen a real rise of over 80 percent. We are drowning in taxes and rising costs, and we need this government help now. Some of the aid is actually loans, but no one will take out loans now with this instability and how indebted this industry already is. You don't see much happiness around here," said Domingo Bonin Bautista, president of Balearic Fishery Workers' Association.