Canton Fair helps suburban businesses go global

The Canton Fair, China's largest trade fair dubbed the "barometer" of the country's foreign trade, is helping small businesses from suburban regions explore global markets through its international impact.

The ongoing 136th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, is providing opportunities for businesses from Chinese counties and rural areas to promote their specialty products among international buyers.

A carpet company from Cuihuangkou Town of north China's Tianjin Municipality, which can directly 3D print customized items based on customer requests, showcases a wide array of new offerings at the fair.

"We have developed about 100 products aimed at markets in Europe, the United States, Germany, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Our customers are very pleased with these products, with many placing orders right on the spot. I think this exhibition has been quite successful," said Chen Fanglin, an exhibitor.

With a long history in carpet production, Cuihuangkou is recognized as the "hometown of carpets". The town is home to over 1,200 carpet companies, creating a comprehensive carpet industry that features pattern design, processing and manufacturing, logistics and warehousing.

The Canton Fair has become a key platform for those companies to showcase their carpets to customers from both home and abroad.

"We first participated in the Canton Fair in 2007, and it has been about 17 years since then without interruption. The Canton Fair is relatively well-known on the international level," said Zhang Qiang, an exhibitor.

To better support county-level industries to expand globally, the fair has established a dedicated area for showcasing specialty products from rural and county regions. The section features 227 booths covering 19 categories, including food, sports, tourism and leisure products.

Many unique agricultural products and handicrafts are now opting to go abroad collectively to enhance their international competitiveness and better integrate into the global industrial, supply and value chains.

"We are a company based in Zhaotong City of Yunnan Province. We have brought our local specialties to the Canton Fair, aiming to promote our hometown products to global customers." said Xin Jianlin, an exhibitor.

"We are from Xihe County in Gansu Province's Longnan City. Our booth is a joint booth displaying the agricultural products and handicrafts from several companies." said Zhou Qiang, another exhibitor.

The 136th Canton Fair opened on Oct. 15 and will run through Nov. 4 in three phases, with the first phase ending on Oct 19, the second running from Oct 23 to 27, and the third phase starting on Oct 31.

Over 190,000 overseas buyers from 212 countries and regions participated in the first two phases of the ongoing Canton Fair, up 3.4 percent from the same phases of its previous edition.

Launched in 1957, the biannual Canton Fair takes place every spring and autumn in south China's Guangzhou City.

Canton Fair helps suburban businesses go global

Macao has been emerging as a global hub for conventions and exhibitions in recent years by exploring the enormous opportunities in the sector, driving the region to advance its economic diversification and embrace a brighter future.

Macao has received many awards this year, such as the Best Convention City (Asia) and the Best BT-MICE City, showcasing the recognition for and influence of Macao's exhibition industry.

More than 1,000 electronic game enthusiasts from all over the world gathered recently in Macao to participate in a esports themed event.

Su Zhili, organizer of the event, said that Macao's rich experience in hosting large-scale events, coupled with its good infrastructure, has driven him to choose the region as an ideal destination to hold such an activity.

"Macao has held many similar large-scale events. It has rich experience, and the facilities at the venue are relatively mature, so we can start our work comfortably," said Su.

During the first three quarters of 2024, Macao held more than 1,000 conferences and exhibitions in total.

"We will invite more professional, special conferences to be held in Macao and also cultivate more exhibition brands with international influence in Macao, so as to promote Macao's exhibitions to be more market-oriented, professional, international, digital and greener from various aspects. This is our goal," said Elaine Wong, member of the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.

In addition, multiple large exhibitions and conferences, such as the Macao International Trade and Investment fair, the Macao Franchise Expo, and the International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, are held regularly in Macao.

With the introduction of a series of policies and measures to facilitate the exchanges between the mainland and Macao, as well as the construction and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Macao's convention and exhibition industry will embrace more opportunities for development in the foreseeable future.

"We have such a good industrial base in the Greater Bay Area. The mode of 'Convention and Exhibition + Industry' not only integrates the industries of Macao, but also the industries of the Greater Bay Area. In addition, Macao actively integrates into the national development and plays a role in the Belt and Road. Why are we so confident in Macao's convention and exhibition sector? Because it is backed by the motherland, and the country gives Macao great support," said Alan Ho, chairman of the Macao Association of Convention, Exhibition and Tourism Sectors.

Macao emerges as global hub for conventions and exhibitions, driving economic diversification and international recognition