At Phase II of the 139th Canton Fair, first-time visitor Eugene Seroka, Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, said the fair is more vital than ever as a key platform linking China with the rest of the world amid global disruptions.
The 139th Canton Fair, formally the China Import and Export Fair, opened in Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong in the south. Held in three phases from April 15 to May 5, it brings together global buyers to explore a vast range of products at China's largest trade exhibition. At a ceramics booth, Seroka paused to examine posters displaying a wide array of international certifications and partner brand logos, expressing clear admiration.
"Wow look at these names, certify. International Standards. Global Security," said Seroka.
"International organizations recognize them. So, it's of the highest quality. And these relationships across so many famous brands really show what a great company," he added.
The exhibitor, based in Dehua City in east China's Fujian Province, a global ceramics hub, supplies numerous leading U.S. brands and exports large volumes to the American market each year. With support from customs authorities, it has streamlined logistics through local clearance facilities.
"Logistics are running smoothly now. Dehua is now known as the world's ceramics capital, and we have systems there for direct customs clearance," said the exhibitor, Zheng Pengfei.
Keen to gain deeper insight into Chinese businesses, Seroka also visited exhibitors in cultural and creative industries, home furnishings, modular housing, and smart RVs. The scale and diversity of the fair impressed him deeply.
"I've been to fairs around the world, but there is nothing like the Canton Fair. You see so many people from all over the world coming here to learn more and find the products that they need to bring back home," he said.
As the largest container port in the U.S., the Port of Los Angeles maintains extensive trade ties with China, which accounts for more than 40 percent of its business, making China its most important trading partner. Seroka said his visit aims to further strengthen trans-Pacific supply chain cooperation.
To facilitate bilateral trade, he actively engaged with exhibitors on orders, logistics bottlenecks, and market demand, and added them on his WeChat to help bridge access to the U.S. market. He has also accepted the invitation to return for the 140th Canton Fair this autumn.
"It's a wide array of goods that we bring in from China, electronics, footwear, clothing, appliances, and so much more including furniture. On the export side from the United States, industrial goods and agricultural products. Every four containers we move through our port, we create a new job," he said.
"It's obvious to me that the world needs the Canton Fair more than ever. The pacific ocean connects us from Los Angeles to Guangzhou, and places in between. The supply chain is ready to help. And so is the port of Los Angeles," he said.
World needs Canton Fair more than ever: LA Port head
