Page 24 - The South China Business Journal

The 137th Canton Fair

Successfully Concluded

The onsite exhibition of the 137th China Import and driving this growth. Deals made by traditional markets
Export Fair (Canton Fair) concluded successfully remained stable. Exhibiting companies expressed
in Guangzhou on May 5. Zhou Shanqing, Director that products with great quality and performance,
General of the Canton Fair Press Center and Deputy innovative features and renowned brands were
Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre, more favored. Overseas buyers were brisk in placing
introduced the overall operation of this session to the orders, furthering enhancing exhibitors’ confidence in
press from home and abroad. exploring diversified markets.

The 137th Canton Fair implemented the guidelines New drivers of foreign trade have gained
of President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letters and momentum at an ever-quickening pace. This
the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Canton Fair displayed a plethora of new
Committee and the State Council. Under the leadership products, technologies, designs, materials,
of the Ministry of Commerce and Guangdong Province, and techniques. Green, low-carbon, and intelligent
and thanks to the concerted efforts of relevant products gained wide attention, becoming pivotal in
ministries, local commerce departments, China’s securing orders and expanding markets. Over 4.55
diplomatic and consular missions and all the staff, the million products were exhibited onsite, including 1.02
fair set multiple new records, and achieved the goal of million new products, 880,000 green and low-carbon
excellence, success, security and integrity, contributing products, and 320,000 intelligent products. The first-
to stabilizing the scale and improving the quality of time established Service Robots Zone became a huge
foreign trade and injecting new momentum into global hit and went viral, featuring 46 domestic leading
trade development. robotics companies with over 500 types of robots
across 60 niche sectors. On average, exhibitors in this
Overseas buyer attendance onsite hit a new zone received an average of 300 buyers per day. The
record. As of May 4 (same below), a total of Canton Fair Award (CF Award) Gallery displayed 147
288,938 overseas buyers from 219 countries and award-winning products, attracting 40,000 visits.
regions attended the fair onsite, marking a 17.3%
increase compared to the 135th session. Both Exhibitors at International Pavilion achieved
new and regular buyers flocked to the fair. The significant gains. 736 enterprises from
number of new and regular buyers reached 171,750 50 countries and regions exhibited in the
and 117,188 respectively, up by 14.6% and 21.4% from International Pavilion, 67% of which were from BRI
the 135th session. Emerging markets remained the countries. Plenty of international brand enterprises
largest source of buyers. Buyers from Belt and Road displayed intelligent manufacturing products
countries totaled 187,450, marking a 17.4% rise and and quality home consumer goods, attracting
accounting for 64.9% of the total. 72,417 buyers domestic and international buyers’ attention.
were from BRICS countries, representing a 24.1% Having reached intentional cooperation
increase from the 135th session. The number of with many Chinese companies, enterprises from
buyers from Regional Comprehensive Economic Russia, Thailand, and Turkey delegations reported
Partnership (RCEP) member states were 64,808, up substantial gains, and their products are expected to
by 6.9% year-on-year. The number of buyers from enter the Chinese market swiftly.
Europe, USA and Canada reached 51,862, marking
a 3.4% rise compared to the 135th session. A total The online platform operated steadily. 527,185
of 140 industrial organizations and chambers of buyers from 229 countries and regions attended
commerce organized buyer delegations to the this session online. Exhibitors’ store pages were
fair, up by 17.6%. Representatives of 376 leading visited 4.3737 million times. The updated Canton
multinational enterprises attended this session, Fair App is now available in 2 versions tailored for
setting a record high. buyers and suppliers respectively. With enhanced
features, it enables a fully digitized experience from
Intended export transactions onsite continued to itinerary planning to client follow-ups. Its all-year-
grow. Intended export transactions onsite amounted round trade-matchmaking function helps sustain
to 25.44 billion USD, an increase of 3%. potential cooperation. The App has seen over
Transactions made by BRI countries accounted for 320,000 downloads. It has truly become an “online
over 60% of the total, playing a significant role in deal maker and onsite trade helper.”