The 137th Canton Fair opened Tuesday in Guangzhou City of south China's Guangdong Province, with the launch of over 1,000 trade promotion events to connect global buyers with Chinese exporters, using both in-person and digital services to support cross-border procurement and drive international sales.
To meet growing global demand, the fair features its signature "Trade Bridge" series, aimed at streamlining sourcing processes and expanding opportunities for export-oriented firms.
Ahead of the opening, the organizer had held a promotional event in nearby Foshan City, where over 20 multinational buyers from Spain, Portugal and other countries visited a foreign trade transformation base to engage directly with local suppliers.
"I think the tour is nice. It was nice. Although the time is limited, we get to see and experience a new workshop, new furnitures, get some new contracts," said Hilima James Wilberd, a Nigerian buyer.
"Today's interaction was mainly about establishing a connection to better understand each other's strengths and product offers. Moving forward, through meetings or visits, we can conduct a deeper analysis of the products [which the clients are] interested in and the markets they're targeting, so we can jointly develop more suitable product solutions," said Ye Zhirong, vice president of Guangdong Deerma Technology Co., Ltd.
This year's fair also includes 18 industry forums, about 400 product launch events, and more than 590 matchmaking sessions under the "Trade Bridge" initiative to strengthen international collaboration.
Alongside traditional on-site meetings, the fair offers four digital formats for business matching -- "screen-to-screen," "face-to-face," "face-to-screen," and hybrid -- to help companies secure deals more efficiently.
The offline exhibition runs in three phases from April 15 to May 5, spanning 1.55 million square meters and hosting around 74,000 booths in Guangzhou.
The Canton Fair, officially known as the China Import and Export Fair, is held every spring and autumn in Guangzhou, since its founding in 1957, and has been seen as a barometer of China's foreign trade.
Global sourcing ramps up ahead of Canton Fair opening
