On October 29, Xinhua News published an article titled ” 67-year-old Old Cantonese Trade Injects New Vitality into Global Trade.” Much of it indicates the direction of China’s trade. If anyone wants to understand China’s economic vitality, the Canton Fair can serve as a typical representative. The 134th Canton Fair being held in Guangzhou, China, showcases products from all over the world and fully demonstrates the economic situation. At the Canton Fair, people from all over the world shuttled between the booths, exchanging experiences and insights, carefully checking the condition of the goods and asking about the situation. Some people chose the samples and sat down directly to negotiate contracts with suppliers. It can be said that the Canton Fair is a microcosm of world trade.
Since 1957, the Canton Fair has been held twice a year with almost no interruptions, and is known as China’s first exhibition. Only 13 companies participated in the first Canton Fair, and buyers came from 19 countries and regions. Today, more than sixty years later, the number of exhibitors at the Canton Fair has reached 28,000, and buyers come from more than 200 countries and regions around the world. The rapid development and expansion of the Canton Fair in the past few decades also reflects the rapid development of China’s economy and the close connection between China and world trade. Coupled with the rapid development of the Internet in recent years, product display and the combination of online and offline products allow buyers to see products more intuitively and place orders.
Zhu Zhiwei is the purchasing director of Indonesian retail giant Kawan Lama Group. According to his words, China is their main source of imported goods. The group imports nearly 350 containers of goods every month, 90% of which comes from China. At the Canton Fair, there is nothing you can’t buy, only things you can’t think of. Everything from a toothbrush to a car can be purchased here. This year’s Canton Fair has 55 exhibition areas, covering almost the entire industrial chain of Made in China. There are cheap but functional supplies, as well as high-end and advanced expensive products. In the exhibition area of Guangdong Jueshi Swimming Pool and Spa Equipment Co., Ltd., bathtub products with massage, swimming, filtration and other functions attracted buyers from all over the world. A smart bathtub product of this company was spotted by a Dutch buyer on the first day of the exhibition, and an exclusive agency contract was signed on the spot. This company has been participating in the exhibition for 20 years, and most of its partners in North America and Western Europe developed from the Canton Fair.
Over the years, the Canton Fair has been an important channel for Chinese companies to explore overseas markets. Many companies signed their first orders here. In recent years, with the development of the Internet and transportation, the Canton Fair is no longer the only channel for companies to obtain overseas orders. This has enabled the Canton Fair to gradually develop into a multi-functional comprehensive trade platform. This year’s Canton Fair will feature companies from 43 countries and regions. Since 2007, the Canton Fair has established an import exhibition to provide exhibition opportunities for companies from various countries and regions around the world. As of the 133rd Canton Fair in 2023, more than 16,000 companies from more than 100 countries and regions have participated in the import fair. Companies from all over the world gather at the Canton Fair, which shows that the world market economy is recovering and all countries hope to develop economic and trade relations with China.
