On 15 October, the 140th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) officially opened to visitors at the Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou. Founded in 1957, the Canton Fair marks its 70th anniversary this year. The event runs from 15 October to 4 November in three phases. Boasting a total exhibition area of 1.55 million square metres, it features 75,700 booths across 54 specialised exhibition zones. A total of 32,000 enterprises participate, with approximately 340,000 overseas buyers attending for procurement.

Opening Debut: Lion Dance, Wing Chun and Robots Share the Stage

At around 9 a.m., the Pazhou Canton Fair venue buzzed with crowds as the opening celebration kicked off on schedule. A lion dance performance rich in traditional Chinese cultural characteristics took the lead. Amid the beating of gongs and drums, the lions performed the cai qing (green plucking) ritual, drawing large groups of business visitors to watch.

Following the lion dance session, students from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and Jinan University practised Wing Chun together with overseas buyers on site under the guidance of masters. Foreign buyers earnestly mimicked each movement, forming a unique sight in the exhibition hall. Sharing the stage alongside traditional martial arts was a robot show. Multiple robots moved in perfect unison, executing a fluid set of martial arts routines that integrated technology with traditional kung fu, prompting many buyers to take photos and videos.

The intangible cultural heritage exhibition area was also packed with visitors. Some overseas buyers livestreamed the grand occasion live back to their home countries. Outside the venue, the digital “140” logo for the 140th Canton Fair was fully installed.

Over 210,000 Pre-registrations from 196 Countries and Regions

According to the organisers, the quality of exhibitors at this session has been further improved. Among the 32,000 participating enterprises, more than 11,000 are high-quality players including specialised, sophisticated, unique and innovative enterprises and single-champion firms, alongside roughly 2,800 brand enterprises. High-tech enterprises, single champions and specialised, sophisticated, unique and innovative enterprises account for about one-third of all exhibitors. 64% of exhibitors adopt new technologies such as the industrial internet and artificial intelligence. New products and green products respectively make up 23.2% and 26% of all displayed items, both hitting record highs.

On the buyer side, over 210,000 buyers from 196 countries and regions have completed pre-registration, of which nearly 80% are professional buyers. Buyers from Belt and Road Initiative partner countries have shown strong enthusiasm for registration. The Buyer Alliance has received preliminary confirmation of membership from 58 enterprises across 32 countries and regions on five continents. Twelve new global partners have joined, bringing the total number to 240.

Over its 70-year history, the Canton Fair has expanded from an initial exhibition area of 9,600 square metres to 1.55 million square metres, while the number of buyers has grown from 1,200 in the first session to more than 300,000. It has been held continuously for 140 sessions. As a vital window for China’s opening-up, the Canton Fair advances hand in hand with the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It serves as the primary channel for Greater Bay Area manufacturers to go global and the preferred platform for international merchants to access the Chinese market.