By Chu Shijia
Renowned as China’s No 1 fair, the 136th China Import and Export Fair kicks off on Tuesday in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong province. This international trade event once again serves as a bridge for trade and a bond of friendship between Chinese and foreign companies.Under the leadership of the Ministry of Commerce and the Guangdong provincial government, the 136th edition of the fair is designed to span three phases until Nov 4 offline while its online platform remains operational throughout.Commonly known as the Canton Fair, the 136th edition covers an exhibition area of 1.55 million square meters, with 55 sections and around 74,000 booths. More than 30,000 companies are showcasing their products, including about 29,400 exhibitors in the export section, 800 more than the previous session. About 4,600 are new exhibitors.
Improved quality
Among the exhibitors are more than 2,600 brand enterprises and 8,000 high-quality companies, including national-level high-tech enterprises and specialized “little giants” businesses, accounting for 27 percent of the total exhibitors, a 40 percent increase from last session.Besides, around 3,600 companies focus on digital technology and smart manufacturing, more than 14,000 have their proprietary brands and more than 18,000 have passed international certifications.The cross-border e-commerce exhibition zone, which has been optimized, covers around 800 sq m, featuring key e-commerce platforms and high-quality service providers. The import exhibition zone will continue spanning the entire three phases, covering 30,000 sq m and attracting 730 companies from 49 countries and regions, including exhibition groups from 14 countries such as Turkiye, South Korea and India.
Increased efficiency
In terms of overseas promotion, the 13th Canton Fair has deepened cooperation with 226 foreign embassies and consulates, 68 consulates in Guangzhou, 11 cross-border organizations and various trading groups to promote the fair. Seven new partners have joined the Canton Fair’s cooperation network, bringing the total number of its global partners to 201.In addition, more than 90 promotional activities have been held in 65 cities across 58 countries, including the United States, Germany, Japan, Australia, Indonesia and South Africa.Targeted emails were sent to 450,000 professional buyers, focusing on categories such as electronics, home appliances, industrial manufacturing, hardware and building materials. The fair organizers have also boosted media coverage and refined marketing efforts in Europe and the US to reach more professional buyers.Targeting key markets, including the top 40 countries and regions in terms of businesspeople who have signed up for the Canton Fair, countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and major global retailers, the fair organizers have put focus on expanding partnerships with industry-leading companies and providing tailored services.
Online operations
This session of the Canton Fair has also enhanced its online platform with 18 new features, including a one-stop exhibition process, virtual digital representatives for product launches and a new app for convenient mobile services, aiming to create a never-ending fair.The online platform now supports more companies in expanding online customer reach, with about 48,000 companies exhibiting online, a 60 percent increase from the previous session. It also showcases around 3.75 million products, including 950,000 new items, 160,000 smart products and 590,000 green and low-carbon products, setting a new historical high.Another highlight of this Canton Fair is its collaboration with global partners and leading multinational companies to host more than 250 matchmaking events across 65 countries, including the US, France, Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya and Australia.
Multifunctional platform
The fair plans to host 40 professional conferences on trade policies, industry trends and market expansion, and release more than 10 industry reports. Around 400 new product launches are lined up for the fair, showcasing advanced technologies and designs. The CF Awards organizers received 2,318 entries from 1,242 companies, which present higher intelligence and eco-friendliness that those from previous editions. A total of 113 design agencies from 12 countries including Germany, France, South Korea Italy and the Netherlands are also displaying their designs at the fair.Additionally, 226 trade service companies provided support across logistics, finance and consulting to streamline the trade process at this session of fair.
Service guarantee
Focusing on intellectual property protection, the fair enhances exhibition services by introducing exhibition certificate services to encourage innovation and showcase new products. It has also improved its complaint-handling mechanism and invited IP experts to ensure comprehensive protection before, during and after the event.This Canton Fair improved efficiency with early, online and 24-hour registration services at 176 points. Payment options were expanded with more ATMs, foreign currency machines and POS systems. Dining services expands to 76 outlets, serving 100,000 meals daily with 267 food options, 30 more than last session.
Green development
The Canton Fair promotes green development by featuring more eco-friendly products and supporting green manufacturing. It also ensures 100 percent green booths, improves waste and noise control, and has launched a green booth excellence initiative.
Ensured safety
The fair prioritizes both development and security by establishing a unified monitoring platform and enhancing safety measures in key areas to ensure a safe event.The author is deputy director and secretary-general of the Canton Fair, and director of the China Foreign Trade Centre.
