Global buyers are flocking to the ongoing 140th China Import and Export Fair, as China's trade ties continue to expand, now spanning more than 180 countries and regions across the globe.
Also known as the Canton Fair, the biannual event is China's largest and longest-running comprehensive trade fair and a widely watched barometer of the country's foreign trade.
This year's autumn session is being held in three phases through Nov 4 in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, with a wave of AI-powered products making their debuts and injecting fresh momentum into China's export growth.
The fair's bustling halls mirror official data showing that in the first three quarters of this year, China's trade with partners around the world registered growth, while imports and exports with free trade partners rose 30 percent.
That momentum is visible on the fair floor, where foreign buyers arrive in organized groups, returning regulars alongside first-timers scouting for business opportunities.
"I started actually as a translator and then later I became a buyer and now I help to bring buyers to the Canton Fair. We have very good support from the Canton Fair. Canton Fair empowers us to have all the tools available to help and bring this Brazilian buyers to the Canton Fair. So now I think we have the biggest numbers this edition, not only from me, but as a whole for Brazil country. We have a lot, hundreds and hundreds of new buyers in the Canton Fair," said Andre, a Brazilian buyer.
The expanding trade network also reflects the proactive efforts of Chinese exporters to adapt and align precisely with the demands of global markets.
At a home appliance booth, Turkish buyer Gokce examined a large refrigerator designed with overseas markets in mind, singling out its AI-powered smart features as a major selling point back home.
"This is the AI. AI is coming in our lives, so it is very important. First of all [is] the capacity, second one is the outlook, and also the freezer [drawer] is big. In Türkiye, we like to use big refrigerators. So it is very fit for the Turkish market," he said.
The appeal of Chinese manufacturing extends well beyond the buyers walking the aisles. A growing number of foreign vloggers are now touring the fair, filming as they go and introducing China's latest products and technologies to audiences around the world.
"I do get quite a lot of comments every day about China and about the Canton Fair. And there have been a lot of people interested when I'm showing the different booths and different business opportunities. And they'll ask me, oh, can you send me the link for this booth? Can you send me this and that? When I reply to them, I tell them, come yourself, come and see it for yourself and talk direct to these Chinese companies," said British vlogger Jason Lightfoot.
Canton Fair draws growing global buyers as China's trade network expands
