On October 15th, the 136th China Import and Export Fair officially opened its doors to visitors. Running from October 15th to November 4th, the Canton Fair will host three phases of in-person exhibits, showcasing significant growth in the number of exhibitors, new product launches, and events compared to the previous year. What are the highlights of this year’s fair, and what are procurement agents particularly focused on? Our reporters are on the ground to find out.

A notable feature of this year’s Canton Fair is the influx of new exhibitors. Covering an exhibition area of 1.55 million square meters, over 30,000 companies are participating, with nearly 4,600 of them being new entrants. Many of these new businesses are focused on themes such as renewable energy, digital technology, and smart manufacturing. This increase in new companies indicates a wealth of fresh opportunities and potential orders.

According to reporter Luo Pingzhang, “Starting at 9 AM, exhibitors and buyers began streaming in, reaching a peak of foot traffic around noon. As of October 13th, 223 of the top 250 global retailers and leading multinational companies confirmed their attendance, and this year’s fair is expected to attract over 300 major businesses, setting a new record for attendance.”

The variety of new products showcased is another highlight of this year’s fair. The fair features a staggering 1.15 million new items, with the number of digital and smart products tripling from last year, drawing significant attention from international buyers. In areas dedicated to smart living, several humanoid robots, intelligent devices, and autonomous vehicles are making their debut. At one technology firm’s booth, cutting-edge devices for vein recognition, fingerprint scanning, facial recognition, and iris identification are prominently displayed, capturing the interest of many buyers, along with firefighting and cleaning robots, and goods tracking systems.

Exhibitor Yang Zhonggui remarked, “We are showcasing a lot of new products at this Canton Fair. We’ve received considerable attention from overseas partners, and we hope to use this platform to promote our excellent products and solutions internationally.”

Among the attractions inside the venue is an adorable autonomous sightseeing car that has caught everyone’s eyes. Small in stature but packed with high-tech features, it utilizes advanced mapping and GPS technology, equipped with laser radar and dual cameras, allowing it to navigate obstacles and respond to calls seamlessly.

As new products, technologies, and business models continue to emerge at this year’s fair, attendees are filled with fresh expectations. Many major buyers had released their procurement lists before the fair officially began, particularly showing high demand for home appliances and electronic products. Chinese products, with their endless creativity and competitive pricing, are showcasing strong appeal to the global market.

Speaking about the impact of the fair, Korean exhibitor Kim Sang-hyun noted, “About 20 years ago, we started with a small booth, and now we’ve grown to four booths located in the central area of the venue. The Canton Fair has been instrumental in helping us discover new global opportunities. It has always been this way in the past and will continue to be so in the future.”