Overseas buyers wasted no time closing orders as cooperation intentions piled up on Friday, the opening day of the second phase of the 140th China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province.
Also known as the Canton Fair, the twice-yearly 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 runs in three phases through November 4, with the ongoing second phase -- dedicated to "quality home life," from housewares and furniture to gifts and home decorations -- open through October 27.
U.S. buyer Pablo Ramos spent the opening day alongside his companions examining product details, comparing prices and negotiating specifications and delivery schedules with exhibitors. Before long, he had signed his first letter of intent on site.
"This is something very special for us because we receive a lot of products from China, but we never knew the quality and we wanted to come and see it on our eyes. And it's been a very good quality, it's been a very pleasure to work with you all, very nice people, very nice cities, like everything has been a very good experience so far. So, this very first order is going to be about roughly 200,000 dollars," he said.
Amarildo Hasbegu, an Albanian buyer, also identified a satisfactory business partner on the first day, after carefully comparing products in the fair's home furnishings and building materials sections.
"I like the design. The design is very good - beautiful, comfortable and [made of] good materials," he said.
The surge in orders is being felt well beyond the exhibition halls. For Ke Xiuqin, an exhibitor in the foreign trade logistics sector, the fair has translated into a marked lift in business and a lengthening queue of shipping bookings.
"The second half of the year is actually the traditional peak season. Starting in September, and with the Canton Fair taking place as well, customers place their shipping bookings with us at least one to two weeks in advance. Today, when these foreign buyers place orders, they'll have to wait until at least next weekend. This year's orders have increased by about 20 percent compared to last year for our company," she said.
The five-day phase spans more than 515,000 square meters and over 25,000 booths, where some 11,000 exporters including more than 3,600 high-quality firms are showcasing upwards of two million products.
Canton Fair's second phase opens to a flurry of overseas deals
