The 136th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) opened on October 15 in Guangzhou and will run through November 4, divided into three phases. As China’s largest trade fair and a key indicator of the country’s foreign trade trends, this year's event spans an impressive 1.55 million square meters and hosts 74,000 booths. More than 30,000 companies are participating in the in-person exhibition, with around 29,400 of these companies focusing on exports—an increase of nearly 800 exhibitors compared to the previous edition.

The first phase of the exhibition, which started on October 15, focuses on "Advanced Manufacturing." Covering 520,000 square meters, this phase includes 24,890 booths and features 11,165 companies, 968 of which are designated Canton Fair brand enterprises.Over 4,200 companies, including national high-tech firms and industry leaders, are participating in this phase. Additionally, the fair's online platform showcases approximately 810,000 products. Exhibits are divided into five key sectors: electronics and home appliances, industrial manufacturing, lighting and electrical products, hardware tools, and vehicles, including two-wheelers.

The emphasis on "Advanced Manufacturing" highlights China’s progress in industrial transformation and innovation. The first phase presents a wide array of new businesses, products, technologies, and emerging industries. Key sectors include electronics, home appliances, new energy, electric vehicles, and intelligent manufacturing, with over 8,700 booths dedicated to these themes. Notably, the new energy section now features hydrogen energy and energy storage products, with over 110 companies participating, enhancing the diversity of green energy showcases. Additionally, smart living, industrial robots, and intelligent manufacturing zones feature nearly 400 companies across 1,500 booths. For the first time, humanoid robots, smart devices, and self-driving products will debut at the fair.
These developments show China’s manufacturing sector advancing to higher levels of the global industrial and value chains. The Canton Fair demonstrates that Chinese products and brands are now on a path of high-quality development. The exhibits are not only high in quality and affordable but also stylish and safe, reflecting China’s growing confidence and capability to offer better “Made in China” products to the world.
At a pre-event press conference, Chu Shijia, Director of the China Foreign Trade Centre, said, “We are committed to making the 136th Canton Fair a spectacular, successful, and safe international trade event. We aim to further enhance the fair’s reputation as a prestigious global platform.”The previous edition of the Canton Fair attracted nearly 250,000 foreign buyers, setting a record high. For this session, the Canton Fair has improved its promotional efforts to attract high-quality foreign buyers. Early indicators, such as pre-registrations from international buyers, hotel bookings, and flight reservations, suggest that this year’s fair is on track for both strong attendance and increased business opportunities.