The first phase of the 136th Canton Fair was successfully held from October 15 to 19. The event operated safely and orderly, with a vibrant atmosphere and active discussions, leaving exhibitors and buyers feeling highly satisfied. The achievements in the development of new productive forces received significant attention. This phase focused on “advanced manufacturing,” attracting innovative productive forces, with high-quality enterprises and digital, intelligent, and green products standing out as the main highlights.
Among the 11,165 participating enterprises, around 3,600 were related to digital technology and intelligent manufacturing, with 57.8% adopting technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and industrial internet to upgrade their industrial chains. Exhibitors showcased a wealth of new products, technologies, materials, and processes, including 390,000 digital products, representing a 300% increase. Additionally, 55.9% of the enterprises held patents in the green and low-carbon sector, displaying over 1.04 million green and low-carbon products.
High-tech, high-value-added products such as smart home appliances, new energy vehicles, industrial automation equipment, humanoid robots, smart bionic hands, and hydrogen-powered bicycles were particularly popular, indicating that Chinese manufacturing is rapidly moving up the mid- to high-end of the industrial and value chains. The independent innovation capabilities of Chinese enterprises and the core competitiveness of Chinese products are continuously strengthening.
Overseas buyers showed strong enthusiasm for attending the event. As of October 19, more than 130,000 overseas buyers from 211 countries and regions participated in person, representing a 4.6% increase compared to the last session.
Among them, over 90,000 buyers from Belt and Road Initiative countries accounted for 69.7%, up 6.8%; approximately 30,000 buyers from BRICS nations made up 22.5%, an increase of 5.5%; around 24,000 buyers from Europe and the U.S. represented 18.1%, growing by 4.8%; and about 20,000 buyers from the Middle East constituted 14.7%, with a remarkable increase of 44.2%. Many exhibiting companies reported that this phase saw overseas buyers with clear purchasing goals and strong willingness to place orders, reflecting their trust in Chinese suppliers and products.
The integration of online and offline components was enhanced. All offline exhibitors were also showcased online, with a total of 800,000 products uploaded by the first phase’s enterprises, attracting 343,000 overseas visitors online. Eighteen functions of the online platform were optimized, and a virtual digital person was introduced for the first time. The cross-border e-commerce display area was enhanced, incorporating seven leading cross-border e-commerce platforms and 34 supporting service providers, fostering the integration of traditional trade and new foreign trade models, and aiding exhibitors in their online transformation.
The effectiveness of trade promotion activities was notable. A total of 250 “Trade Bridge” promotion events and global supply and procurement matching activities were successfully held, with 237 supply and procurement matching sessions attracting 520 buyers and 1,280 suppliers for one-on-one discussions online. Five “Good Treasure, Good Girl Explore Canton Fair” events showcased innovative products from 32 exhibiting companies, garnering approximately 1.85 million views. Additionally, 247 new product launch events helped accelerate market access for new products. Twenty-four professional meetings were held, resulting in the release of five trend reports to enhance information exchange.
The Canton Fair Design Innovation Award (CF Award) exhibited 147 award-winning products for 2024, attracting thousands of buyers to the CF Award exhibition hall. The Canton Fair Product Design and Trade Promotion Center (PDC) organized participation from 113 design institutions across 12 countries and regions, promoting R&D innovation by connecting with high-quality global design resources.
The second phase of the 136th Canton Fair will take place from October 23 to 27, focusing on “Quality Home Furnishings.” It will showcase three main categories—household goods, gifts and decorations, and building materials and furniture—across 15 exhibition areas, with 10,040 offline exhibiting companies, including 267 from 33 countries and regions in the import exhibition.