SCIO Holds Press Conference for the 140th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair)

The State Council Information Office (SCIO) held a press conference at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 18, 2026, inviting Mr. Zhang Li, Assistant Minister of Commerce; Mr. Yang Tao, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce; Ms. Zhu Yong, Director of the China Foreign Trade Centre; Ms. Guo Yile, Deputy Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province; and Mr. Hu Hao, Vice Mayor of the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality, to brief the media on the 140th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and answer questions from journalists.

Zhou Jianshe, Deputy Director-General of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office and SCIO Spokesperson:

Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon! Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office. The 140th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, will soon be held in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Today, we have invited Mr. Zhang Li, Assistant Minister of Commerce, to brief you on the relevant information about this session of the Canton Fair and to answer your questions of interest. Also present at today’s press conference are: Mr. Yang Tao, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce; Ms. Zhu Yong, Director of the China Foreign Trade Centre; Ms. Guo Yile, Deputy Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province; and Mr. Hu Hao, Vice Mayor of the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality.

Now, I would like to give the floor to Mr. Zhang Li for his introduction.

Zhang Li, Assistant Minister of Commerce

Thank you, Mr. Moderator. Good afternoon, friends from the media! First of all, I would like to thank you all for your long-standing interest in and support for our commerce work and the Canton Fair. Today, together with relevant officials from Guangdong Province and Guangzhou Municipality as well as several of my colleagues, I will brief you on the 140th Canton Fair and the development of China’s foreign trade.

The 140th Canton Fair will be held in Guangzhou in three phases from October 15 to November 4. This session coincides with an important milestone — the 70th anniversary of the fair’s founding. Over the past 70 years, the Canton Fair has weathered many challenges and undergone tremendous changes, growing from 9,600 square meters with 1,200 buyers at its first session to 1.55 million square meters with 310,000 buyers today. It has been held 140 sessions without interruption. It has become China’s largest, longest-running, most comprehensively stocked, most heavily attended and most successful international trade event, and is globally renowned as “China’s No. 1 Exhibition.” Since the beginning of this year, China’s foreign trade has continued its sound growth momentum. As the “barometer” and “weathervane” of China’s foreign trade, the Canton Fair has also demonstrated features of “moving toward new and smart development, and becoming more specialized and better optimized.”

First, innovation leads the way. In recent years, China’s manufacturing sector has continued to transform and upgrade, the structure of foreign trade has been continuously optimized, and the technological content of import and export products has steadily increased. From January to August this year, mechanical and electrical products accounted for 55% of China’s imports and exports, up 2.5 percentage points from the full year of last year. Electronic components, industrial robots, 3D printers and new energy vehicles, among others, have performed remarkably well, becoming new drivers of foreign trade growth. In keeping with the trend of foreign trade moving toward new development, among the 32,000 exhibiting companies at this session of the Canton Fair, more than 11,000 are high-quality enterprises such as “little giants” specializing in niche sectors and single-product champions. Sixty-four percent of exhibiting companies have applied new technologies such as the industrial internet and artificial intelligence. New products and green products on display account for 23.2% and 26% respectively, both hitting record highs.

Second, digital and intelligent empowerment. In recent years, artificial intelligence has been accelerating its empowerment of the entire trade chain. Since the beginning of this year, the import and export of AI products has maintained rapid growth. AI has helped foreign trade enterprises optimize supply chain management, develop new products, and improve production quality and efficiency. It has also helped enterprises enhance their capabilities and efficiency in multiple areas such as customer acquisition, background checks, business negotiations, and contract signing, greatly improving their international business capabilities. This session of the Canton Fair will further enhance its digital and intelligent level by deeply integrating technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data into the entire exhibition process. For the first time, it will introduce 22 smart application scenarios and 16 AI-specific applications, and take the lead in China’s exhibition industry in achieving hall-wide booth-level navigation and AR booth information display, comprehensively enhancing the exhibition experience.

Third, investment promotion is more professional and services are more optimized. At present, foreign trade enterprises are accelerating their transformation from “taking orders and selling products” to “building systems and optimizing services,” showing a new trend of integrating goods and services and pursuing integrated development of trade and investment. In keeping with this trend, this session of the Canton Fair will, for the first time, achieve full coverage of 10 major categories of producer services in the Trade in Services Zone, providing one-stop services for enterprises. A total of 36.5% of exhibiting enterprises have implemented the “products + services” model transformation. At the same time, for the first time, the Canton Fair will carry out year-round normalized buyer pre-registration, build a buyer labeling system, introduce AI-powered invitation and push notifications, and establish a Buyer Alliance with a membership points system, so as to provide more refined services for buyers. The Canton Fair’s circle of friends continues to expand and improve in quality, with 12 new global partners added. Up to now, more than 210,000 overseas buyers have completed pre-registration. As the exhibition dates approach, more buyers will continue to register.

The Party Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to the Canton Fair and have sent congratulatory letters to the Canton Fair twice — on the occasions of its 120th and 130th sessions. Going forward, we will continue to thoroughly implement the spirit of the important congratulatory letters, go all out to make good preparations for all aspects of the work, and ensure the complete success of this session of the Canton Fair, so as to better serve the high-quality development of foreign trade and the building of a strong trading nation. Here, I sincerely invite buyers from all over the world to attend the exhibition, and warmly welcome friends from the press to cover it. We will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Canton Fair with you all in Guangzhou.

That is all for my introduction. Thank you!

Zhou Jianshe:

Thank you, Mr. Zhang Li, for your introduction. Now, the floor is open for questions. Please state the news organization you represent before asking your question.

Journalist from Economic Daily:

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Canton Fair. Over the past 70 years, what kind of development and changes has the Canton Fair undergone? What role has it played in the course of China’s foreign trade development? What historic contributions has it made? Thank you.

Zhang Li:

Thank you for your question. Over the past 70 years, the Canton Fair, as an epitome of China’s foreign trade development, has always breathed the same air and grown together with China’s foreign trade. In the process of building a strong trading nation, it has mainly played three roles:

First, the Canton Fair is an “incubator” for the growth and expansion of foreign trade enterprises. Since its founding, the Canton Fair quickly became the main channel for China’s foreign trade. From 1965 to 1979, the Canton Fair’s annual export volume always accounted for more than 30% of the country’s total foreign trade exports, and in some years even exceeded 50%. After the reform and opening up, the number of exhibiting enterprises at the Canton Fair grew rapidly. A large number of well-known national brands, such as Haier and Midea, secured overseas orders at the Canton Fair and broke into the international market. Entering the new era, tens of thousands of foreign trade enterprises of different types and ownership structures are competing and thriving at the Canton Fair. Exhibiting enterprises at the Canton Fair, accounting for 5% of the country’s foreign trade enterprises, contribute 16% of the country’s general trade export value. Today, a small booth we see at the Canton Fair may grow into a single-product champion, an industry leader, or even a multinational giant in the not-too-distant future.

Second, the Canton Fair is a “training ground” for the iterative innovation of foreign trade products. With the leapfrog development of China’s industrial structure, agricultural and sideline native products, handicrafts, and textile and light industrial products successively took the stage at the Canton Fair. At the 86th Canton Fair in 1999, mechanical and electrical products became the largest category of products at the Canton Fair for the first time. At today’s Canton Fair, consumer electronics have become the absolute mainstay, while technological products such as new energy storage, embodied intelligence, and smart healthcare are eye-catching. Consumer goods, intermediate goods, and capital goods account for 56.6%, 30.7%, and 17.3% respectively. A large number of cutting-edge products made in China make their debut at the Canton Fair. The Canton Fair is not just a trading platform for signing orders. The world’s latest customer demand, consumption preferences, industry trends, product standards, and application scenarios all converge here. Tens of thousands of high-quality enterprises compete on the same stage, vying in technology, design, and quality, providing the best ecosystem for the innovative iteration of foreign trade products.

Third, the Canton Fair is a bridge and bond for promoting economic and trade exchanges and expanding external cooperation. The Canton Fair was a great pioneering undertaking for New China to break the blockade and embrace the world. Since its birth, it has carried the original aspiration and mission of “connecting the world and benefiting all,” and through the trade methods of combining exhibition and sales, on-site sampling, and face-to-face transactions, it has greatly promoted Chinese and foreign economic and trade exchanges and cultural exchanges. As China’s high-level opening up continues to advance, the Canton Fair’s “circle of friends” is also accelerating its expansion. More than 300,000 buyers from over 220 countries and regions attend the fair as scheduled twice a year in spring and autumn. Among the 32,000 exhibiting enterprises, nearly 20% have made outbound investments, contributing more than 200,000 jobs locally. The Canton Fair is increasingly becoming an important platform for countries to jointly build an open world economy.

Looking ahead, the Canton Fair will focus on the development goals of “never ending” and “leading the market,” and with a more open attitude, more meticulous services, and more complete functions, it will work persistently and keep innovating with each session. Centering on digital and intelligent development, green development, and specialization, it will promote the innovative development of the Canton Fair and better serve the building of a strong trading nation.

Thank you!

Journalist from Guangdong Radio and Television:

As the world’s largest trade event, the smooth holding of the Canton Fair would not be possible without the precise and thoughtful service guarantees of the host region. May I ask, what new highlights and breakthroughs has Guangdong made in terms of service guarantees for this session of the Canton Fair? Thank you.

Guo Yile, Deputy Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province:

Thank you for your question. I will answer it. At present, Guangdong is earnestly implementing the spirit of the important congratulatory letters sent by the state to the Canton Fair, and is taking the service and support work for the 140th Canton Fair as a major political task to be carried out solidly. On the basis of the mature service guarantee system of previous sessions, Guangdong has innovatively rolled out 29 measures for quality improvement and upgrading this session, aiming to provide a high-quality “Cantonese-style service” and make every effort to create a worry-free, heartwarming and considerate exhibition experience. As for the 140th Canton Fair, we can say with great confidence that Guangdong is fully prepared and ready to welcome guests from all over the world!

Specifically, with regard to the new highlights of this year’s service guarantee system, I will mainly introduce four aspects:

First, more efficient customs clearance to ensure the smooth flow of “people and goods.” We have set up dedicated channels for the Canton Fair at key ports such as Baiyun Airport, implemented the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, and introduced “dedicated personnel and dedicated windows, with immediate processing upon arrival.” In terms of logistics, relying on the International Trade “Single Window” plus the customs “Smart Exhibition” system, we have promoted online processing of the entire process of exhibit filing, declaration and appointment-based customs clearance, making the flow of exhibits more efficient.

Second, upgraded transportation to ensure “smooth travel for exhibition participants.” We have continued to optimize the travel experience around the exhibition venue, focusing on improving the traffic capacity of key road sections, dynamically increasing the frequency of buses and subways, and flexibly dispatching taxi capacity. We have also opened multiple routes, including an “autonomous driving + exhibition” demonstration line, an intra-venue shuttle line, and a hotel-dedicated shuttle line. Through intelligent guidance, volunteer services and advance traffic diversion, we are making travel for exhibitors and buyers smoother and more convenient.

Third, improved services to optimize the “payment experience.” We have set up a comprehensive service center for overseas visitors at the airport, providing multilingual services and round-the-clock assistance for overseas buyers to activate mobile payments. At key foreign-related locations such as ports, hotels and the exhibition venue, more than 6,800 comprehensive foreign currency exchange points have been set up, achieving full coverage of foreign card acceptance for key merchants, comprehensively creating a closed loop for overseas buyers’ payment and consumption, and truly realizing “zero-distance payment.”

Fourth, expanded scenarios to amplify the “value of the exhibition.” During the Canton Fair, we will hold two featured supporting events — the “Canton Fair Consumption Season” and the “Global Buyers’ Guangdong Tour” — closely integrating business, tourism and sports resources as well as market, park and factory scenarios with the Canton Fair, and continuously unleashing the multiplier effect of the exhibition economy.

The 140th Canton Fair bears witness to the history of China’s reform and opening up. Guangdong will welcome guests from all directions with the best service, the best environment and the strongest guarantees, to jointly explore new trade opportunities and open a new chapter of cooperation!

Thank you!

Journalist from People’s Daily Overseas Edition:

We have noticed that the Canton Fair has had many highlights in digital and intelligent services in recent years. Many buyers already experienced the convenience of booth-level navigation at the previous session. May I ask what new scenarios and new services this session of the Canton Fair will offer? Thank you.

Zhu Yong, Director of the China Foreign Trade Centre:

Thank you for your question. We say that a first-class exhibition requires first-class services, and first-class services require first-class intelligence. We have continued to build a smart exhibition venue and a smart Canton Fair, providing exhibitors and buyers with a service ecosystem covering the entire journey, the entire chain and all scenarios. Forty days before the countdown, we released a short video called “My Smart Canton Fair Journey.” You are also welcome to experience it on the Canton Fair’s video account.

Services for the entire journey focus on convenience. Before the exhibition, buyers can search for products, make appointment for negotiations and plan their itineraries through the Canton Fair APP and website. After landing in Guangzhou, they can get their badges in just 30 seconds with their passports at 70 badge service points at airports, high-speed railway stations, hotels and other locations. During the exhibition, by scanning the other party’s exhibitor badge, electronic business cards can be exchanged “in seconds,” and AI notes can automatically generate summaries from the exhibits photographed and the voices of negotiations. After the exhibition, the system automatically archives information and intelligently screens high-intent customers to achieve precise matching. This is what we call building a “never-ending” Canton Fair.

Trade services across the entire chain focus on practicality. As Assistant Minister Zhang Li just mentioned, we have upgraded the Trade in Services Zone, achieving full coverage of 10 major categories of producer services for the first time. From logistics and warehousing, design and R&D to comprehensive overseas services and cross-border investment and financing, we provide one-stop trade services for products, brands and enterprises to explore the international market. We have highlighted new product launches. This session will see more than 700 new product launch events, with the number of launches increasing by 15%, and a New Product Launch Display Zone will be set up for the first time to help exhibitors acquire customers. We have improved the efficiency of exchanges and matchmaking. Seven high-quality forums will be held around four major themes: “expanding markets, preventing risks, studying trends and promoting innovation.” We have also enriched the display content of the Canton Fair Design Innovation Award, building a new model of trade promotion services from display to matchmaking.

Exhibition services across all scenarios focus on efficiency. This session, we have launched 16 digital and intelligent systems and increased the number of smart application scenarios in the exhibition venue to 22. For example, the full real-scene booth-level navigation, with an accuracy of 1 meter, covers the entire venue for the first time, putting more than 75,000 booths “at your fingertips.” From what we understand, this may be the first time for a large-scale exhibition in China. The smart catering system connects nearly 80% of the food supply points in the entire venue, 9 major cuisines and more than 300 dishes. You can schedule delivery and have delicious food delivered directly to you. Smart logistics and smart transportation integrate services such as logistics, exhibit handling, vehicle entry and exit, and parking. Online, you can make one-click appointments, track progress in real time and precisely dispatch vehicles, safeguarding the two 76-hour withdrawal and replacement of exhibitions, and ensuring the efficiency and safety of passenger and cargo flow.

In short, the Canton Fair is willing to be not only the warmest partner but also the smartest partner for exhibitors and buyers from around the world, so that every journey can return with a full harvest. Thank you!

Journalist from National Business Daily:

The Canton Fair is the “barometer” and “weathervane” of China’s foreign trade. May I ask, how has China’s foreign trade performed so far this year? What are your views on the foreign trade situation next year? Thank you.

Yang Tao, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce:

Thank you for your question. I will answer it. In the first eight months of this year, China’s foreign trade continued its sound development momentum, with the import and export scale reaching 34.8 trillion yuan, an increase of 17.6%. Among this, exports grew by 14.6% and imports grew by 22%, with import growth notably faster than export growth. The features of new drivers and improved structure have become more evident. Specifically, there are three distinct characteristics.

First, the drivers of new business forms and new models are continuously being unleashed. Since the beginning of this year, we have continued to improve the relevant policy system, foreign trade enterprises have continuously explored and innovated, and new business forms and new models have shown a sound trend of “simultaneous improvement in quantity and quality.” Let me give two examples. One is the rapid development of new business forms such as cross-border e-commerce and overseas warehouses. In the first half of this year, the scale of cross-border e-commerce imports and exports reached 1.45 trillion yuan, driving employment for more than 10 million people. The penetration rate of cross-border e-commerce plus artificial intelligence has continued to rise. According to estimates by relevant institutions, the AI application rate of cross-border e-commerce enterprises exceeds 60%. The second is the rapid development of bonded logistics. In the first eight months of this year, the scale of imports and exports through bonded logistics approached 6 trillion yuan, an increase of 42.3%.

Second, the proportion of high-tech and high-value-added products has steadily increased. Driven by scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading, high-tech and high-value-added products have gradually become the main growth engine of foreign trade. In the first eight months of this year, imports and exports of mechanical and electrical products reached 19.1 trillion yuan, an increase of 24.9%. Among them, imports and exports of integrated circuits grew by 68.1%, and imports and exports of computers and parts grew by 60.5%. High-tech products such as industrial robots and 3D printers also achieved relatively rapid growth. “Intelligent manufacturing in China” has provided strong support for the development of the global digital economy and intelligent economy.

Third, green and low-carbon development has become a distinctive background color of China’s foreign trade development. At present, the global green transformation process continues to advance, and China’s green products precisely meet the development needs of various countries. In the first eight months of this year, imports and exports of products such as electric vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaics increased by about 40% year on year. Orders for products such as wind turbine generator sets, green ships and energy-saving and environmental protection equipment are also growing steadily, meeting the green development needs of relevant countries. For example, we have exported high-quality wind turbine units to relevant countries, providing a “Chinese solution” for local areas to alleviate power shortages and optimize energy structures.

Looking ahead to next year, the external environment for foreign trade development will be more complex and volatile. Multiple international organizations have pointed out that economic and trade barriers have significantly increased global trade costs, the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains have been affected, and global economic and trade development faces great uncertainty.

Next, the Ministry of Commerce will resolutely implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, closely track changes in the foreign trade situation, make good use of various opening-up platforms including the Canton Fair, guide enterprises to expand diversified markets, actively expand imports of high-quality products, promote balanced development of imports and exports, and make greater contributions to expanding high-level opening up and promoting the sustained, new, better and sound development of the economy. Thank you!

Phoenix TV Journalist:

In recent years, China’s foreign trade achievements have attracted worldwide attention. In particular, imports have grown rapidly this year, faster than exports. May I ask, how does the Ministry of Commerce view the role China’s foreign trade plays in global economic growth? Thank you.

Zhang Li:

Thank you for your question. At present, world economic growth is sluggish, and global trade faces many challenges. In the face of the adverse effects brought by changes in the external environment, China’s foreign trade has risen to the challenges and maintained steady and sound growth, continuously injecting certainty into global economic growth and the stability of industrial and supply chains.

First, it provides an important engine for global economic growth. As the world’s largest trader in goods, China continues to provide driving force for global trade growth. Based on the global trade data for the first quarter published by the WTO in July, China drove global trade growth by 2.1 percentage points, with a contribution rate of 20.3%. China’s foreign trade is not only key to its own economic development, but has also become a strong engine for global economic and trade growth.

Second, it strongly supports the stable operation of global industrial and supply chains. The more the global industrial and supply chains come under pressure and turbulence, the more prominent China’s role as a “stabilizer” in foreign trade becomes. On the one hand, Chinese goods are complete in variety, stable in delivery, and high in quality and cost-effective. Exports of products such as household appliances, daily consumer goods, and medical supplies cover more than 200 countries and regions worldwide, enriching global supply and easing global inflationary pressure. On the other hand, relying on its complete industrial system and industrial supporting capacity, China provides production equipment and other industrial manufactured goods to various countries, especially developing countries, providing important support for these countries to develop their real economies, raise their industrialization levels, and integrate into global industrial and supply chains.

Third, the dividends of its super-large market benefit the world. In recent years, we have adhered to a dual-driven approach of “policies + activities” to expand imports, and China’s appeal and value as the “world market” have become even greater. We have held eight consecutive sessions of the China International Import Expo, launched a series of activities under “Sharing the Big Market: Export to China,” and continued to increase our efforts to “buy globally,” broadening channels and building platforms for high-quality global goods to enter the Chinese market. From January to August this year, China’s imports grew by 22%, the fastest since 2021, and the annual import volume is expected to reach a new high. More and more high-quality global goods are entering China’s consumer market and integrating into China’s industrial and supply chain system, bringing more orders to enterprises of various countries, promoting the development of their related industries, and increasing local employment.

Fourth, it accelerates the global green and digital transformation. China enriches global supply with high-quality green and intelligent products, helping the world accelerate its green, low-carbon and digital-intelligent empowerment process. Over the past 10 years, China has provided more than 80% of the world’s photovoltaic modules and 70% of its wind power equipment, effectively driving down the cost of global wind and photovoltaic power generation, and continuously polishing the green credentials of Chinese manufacturing. The rapid development of AI-related industries has driven the rapid growth of imports and exports of AI products, benefiting countries around the world. At the same time, it is even more worth mentioning that many of China’s innovations follow the open-source route. For example, China’s AI large models have accumulated more than 10 billion downloads globally, enabling more countries, especially developing countries, to access and afford new technologies and enhance their development capacity.

Overall, China is both the “world’s factory” and the “world’s market.” The high-quality development of China’s foreign trade and the expansion and upgrading of China’s super-large market have brought new development opportunities and greater development space to countries around the world. Next, we will continue to unswervingly expand high-level opening up, run open platforms such as the Canton Fair well, accelerate the building of a strong trading nation, share development dividends with countries around the world, and make new contributions to global economic growth.

Thank you!

Journalist from Nanfang Daily / Nanfang Plus:

Since the 133rd Canton Fair, the number of overseas buyers has repeatedly hit new highs, exceeding 310,000 at the 139th session. Could you introduce what new investment promotion measures this session of the Canton Fair will have? What is the expected buyer attendance? Thank you.

Zhu Yong:

Thank you for your question. Professional buyers and high-quality exhibitors are the precious resources that have kept the Canton Fair vibrant over the past 70 years. Since the beginning of this year, we have deepened the reform of “big investment promotion” and made every effort to build a new ecosystem of “big investment promotion.” This session, we have done three more things.

The first thing is precision in investment promotion. Six major channels, including overseas roadshows, partners and digital marketing, have worked together. In terms of overseas roadshows, for the first time we moved from bilateral to multilateral, visiting the headquarters of the African Union and connecting and cooperating with the WTO and UNCTAD. For the first time, we set up a robot and AI experience zone during roadshows, allowing international buyers to touch the innovation pulse of Chinese manufacturing in advance. We expanded the international investment promotion cooperation network and signed 12 new global partners, bringing the total to 240. We strengthened targeted invitations, and 170 leading purchasing enterprises and 48 global partners have confirmed their participation as delegations.

The second thing is differentiated services. We established a Buyer Alliance for the first time, implemented a membership points system for the first time, and carried out tiered exclusive services. In terms of trade promotion, the channels have become more diverse. As of yesterday, the “Trade Bridge — China Industry Tour” had visited 11 cities, with international buyers from 32 countries and regions conducting precise matchmaking with nearly 600 foreign trade enterprises. At the previous session, the Middle East special livestream accumulated more than 3 million views. This time, we have upgraded and launched a new model of “exhibition + overseas livestreaming.” At the same time, more than 10 events will be held on site, including supply and purchase matchmaking for the Asia-Pacific region, national theme days, and partner carnivals. In terms of participation experience, this time we have upgraded the cultural and tourism check-in activity of “Come to the Canton Fair, Tour Guangzhou,” and also launched the international medical experience of “Come to the Canton Fair, ‘Heal’ in Guangzhou,” and held buyer seminars.

The third thing is digital and intelligent operations. For the first time, we have implemented year-round normalized pre-registration, changing “periodic invitations” to “year-round online,” and the results so far have been very good. We have established a buyer labeling system with 5 major dimensions and 73 labels, AI three-dimensional profiling, precise information push, and efficient matching of needs. At present, more than 210,000 buyers from 196 countries and regions have pre-registered, of whom nearly 80% are professional buyers, and buyers from Belt and Road partner countries have registered enthusiastically.

Over 70 years, the torch has been passed down from generation to generation, and the Canton Fair has always served its original aspiration with innovative changes. From the warmth of Chinese technology shown by exoskeleton robots helping buyers stand up again at the previous session, to the recent heartfelt resonance of global buyers singing the song “Starlight” together, we have always written the Canton Fair story together with exhibitors and buyers, jointly safeguarded the multilateral trading system, and promoted the building of an open world economy.

Thank you all!

Journalist from Yangcheng Evening News:

The Canton Fair is held in Guangzhou twice a year in spring and autumn and has now gone through 70 years of development. May I ask what new measures Guangzhou has to let global buyers better feel the integrated development of the Canton Fair and the city of Guangzhou? How will Guangzhou effectively transform exhibition traffic into urban attractiveness and industrial increment? Thank you.

Hu Hao, Vice Mayor of the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality:

Thank you for your question. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Canton Fair, Guangzhou resolutely implements the work arrangements of the state, the Ministry of Commerce and Guangdong Province, and has made every effort with the whole city to do a good job in service guarantees. From the three dimensions of history, the present and the future, we will show global buyers the unique charm of Guangzhou and the Canton Fair resonating at the same frequency and prospering together.

Looking back at history and tracing our original aspiration, Guangzhou has witnessed the path of co-development of the exhibition and the city. Over 70 years, the torch has been passed down, and the Canton Fair has long been integrated into the blood of Guangzhou. To pay tribute to the anniversary of the grand event, Guangzhou has carefully created a series of themed commemorative activities. At the Pazhou Metro Station adjacent to the exhibition venue, a Canton Fair-themed photo exhibition is being held. At the Guangzhou Art Museum, a special historical exhibition titled “A Thousand Years of Urban Veins” is being presented. Online and offline, a themed sharing activity called “My Story with the Canton Fair” is being held simultaneously, vividly presenting the profound heritage and glory of the co-development of the exhibition and the city.

Focusing on the present and meticulously improving services, Guangzhou is creating a considerate participation experience. The whole city has entered “Canton Fair time,” comprehensively upgrading service guarantees. Multiple airlines have launched exclusive discounts. Dedicated channels have been opened at the airport and Pazhou Port. Dedicated timetables have been designated for buses and subways. More than 2,000 taxis and ride-hailing vehicles are dispatched every day, making travel for buyers smoother. A total of 20 million yuan in catering consumption vouchers has been issued, and events such as the Fine Food Week and Yangcheng Dim Sum Season are being held simultaneously, allowing buyers to experience the infinite charm of “Food in Guangzhou.” Customized free one-day tours exclusively for overseas buyers have been arranged, and a “Canton Fair” cruise ship has been created to enjoy the dazzling Pearl River night view, allowing buyers to appreciate the unique style of the city. The international shopping festival “Fair 2 City” urban consumption check-in activity covers the whole city. More than 16,000 merchants support foreign card payments, and more than 1,750 stores offer departure tax refund services, making consumption worry-free for buyers.

Looking to the future and empowering upgrading, Guangzhou is activating new momentum of “Canton Fair Plus.” Standing at a new starting point of 70 years, we will continue to amplify the radiating and driving benefits of the exhibition. In terms of trade matchmaking, more than 100 economic and trade activities will be held, including the Fashion Industry Conference and the “Quality Guangdong Goods, Global Guangdong Trade” matchmaking meeting, inviting buyers to visit more than 100 key specialized markets across the city and deepening precise supply-demand matchmaking. In terms of investment cooperation, relying on the Guangzhou International Investment Annual Conference, we will actively open key industrial parks such as intelligent connected new energy vehicles, artificial intelligence, and biomedicine, helping Chinese and foreign buyers tap new opportunities for industrial cooperation. In terms of city visits, we have carefully planned three themed inspection routes: “Fashionable Guangzhou,” “Vibrant Guangzhou,” and “Lively Guangzhou,” allowing buyers to immersively experience the unique charm and new elegance of the thousand-year commercial capital during breaks from the exhibition.

Over the past 70 years, Guangzhou and the Canton Fair have always moved toward each other and worked together for win-win results. We sincerely look forward to new and old friends gathering in Guangzhou to celebrate the grand event and jointly write the wonderful story of the next 70 years.

Thank you!

Journalist from Shenzhen TV Direct News:

The 140th Canton Fair coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Canton Fair, with global buyers gathering in Guangzhou. May I ask how Guangdong will amplify the spillover effect of the Canton Fair and empower the province’s foreign trade and economic development? Thank you.

Guo Yile:

Thank you for your question. The question just raised is exactly an important task that Guangdong has been working hard to address over the years. Before answering this question, let me first report a set of figures. From January to August this year, Guangdong’s foreign trade imports and exports reached 7.54 trillion yuan, an increase of 21.7%, accounting for 21.7% of the national foreign trade share. Among this, in June, July and August, the monthly foreign trade imports and exports exceeded 1 trillion yuan for three consecutive months. These achievements are inseparable from the buyer and order resources accumulated through previous sessions of the Canton Fair. The Canton Fair and Guangdong’s foreign trade development have always achieved each other and progressed together. Next, in order to further amplify the exhibition effect of the Canton Fair, we are currently focusing on four aspects of work:

First, focus on on-site transactions to enhance market competitiveness. At this session of the Canton Fair, we have optimized the structure of exhibiting enterprises. Specialized and sophisticated “little giants,” manufacturing single-product champions, and high-tech enterprises account for more than half of the enterprises. At the same time, based on Guangdong’s strong manufacturing capacity and industrial characteristics, we are promoting regional brands such as Shenzhen consumer electronics, Guangzhou commerce and trade, Foshan home appliances, Dongguan intelligent manufacturing, Yangjiang hardware, and Chaozhou ceramics, and holding special trade matchmaking events for key regional markets such as the Asia-Pacific, making every effort to promote transactions and increase effectiveness.

Second, deepen off-site matchmaking to broaden the map of industrial cooperation. Taking the “Global Buyers’ Guangdong Tour” as a key initiative, we have opened up linkage channels inside and outside the exhibition. We precisely invite buyers from key global regions to go deep into Guangdong’s specialized markets, industrial parks, and manufacturing factories, promoting face-to-face negotiations and point-to-point matchmaking between buyers and industry alliances, efficiently transforming intention inquiries into landed orders, and turning exhibition traffic into trade increment.

Third, cultivate buyer resources and foster a long-term and stable cooperation ecosystem. The Canton Fair brings together global leading buyers and Fortune 500 companies, and also many buyers from emerging markets. We follow up with intended buyers in a targeted manner and carry out normalized city promotion, special inspections, and industrial matchmaking, enabling buyers to change from “one-way procurement” to “two-way investment,” and upgrade from short-term business exchanges to long-term deep cooperation. Through full-cycle tracking services, we turn new customers into old customers and buyers into partners.

Fourth, optimize whole-process services and activate consumption and cultural tourism vitality across the region. We have integrated the province’s high-quality business, tourism, cultural and sports resources, launched exclusive preferential policies for Canton Fair buyers and a number of premium tourism routes, and comprehensively enriched buyers’ experience of “food, accommodation, transportation, travel, shopping and entertainment.” Just now, Vice Mayor Hu Hao of Guangzhou also introduced these contents. We use the exhibition to gather popularity and popularity to drive consumption, achieving the goal of one exhibition driving a hundred industries and one event illuminating the whole city. Here, a warm reminder to buyers who will attend the 140th Canton Fair: you may wish to reserve enough time to walk around and take a look, and bring Guangdong’s good goods, good scenery and good flavors home together.

Next, Guangdong will continue to do a good job in tracking the implementation of exhibition results, transforming and increasing efficiency, maximizing the advantages of the Canton Fair platform, and promoting two-way empowerment and mutual prosperity between the Canton Fair and Guangdong. Thank you all!

Zhou Jianshe:

That is all for today’s press conference. Thank you to all the speakers and thank you to all the journalist friends. Goodbye, everyone!