Canton Fair showcases remarkable strength of China's export-import sector

Purchasers learn about the products at the 137th China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, May 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Guobao)

The 137th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, concluded in south China's Guangdong Province on May 5, showcasing the remarkable strength of China's export-import sector.

"This year's Canton Fair seems more crowded than any previous session," said Ting Young Kang, national council member of the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) and chairman of the international commercial affairs committee of the MCCC. Ting, who is also the director of Sun Jiang Trading Sdn Bhd, has attended every Fair since his first visit with his father in the autumn of 1990.

"The Canton Fair brings together over 30,000 export enterprises and more than 200,000 global buyers. This is what makes the Fair so appealing," Ting remarked. He added that Malaysian and Chinese companies enjoy complementary strengths, and their cooperation showcases the resilience of bilateral ties. He hopes enterprises of the two countries will seize opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation and jointly address global uncertainties.

"The 137th Canton Fair drew an impressive 288,000 overseas buyers. This reflects multiple economic trends and profound shifts in global trade patterns," said Wang Xianqing, former dean of a logistics research institute at Guangdong University of Finance and Economics.

Wang further explained that the Fair's expanding network demonstrates how market diversification and multilateral cooperation help withstand external pressures. "Together with trade partners, we reaffirm our commitment to the multilateral trading system while strengthening China's pivotal role in global supply chains."

Intended export transactions onsite amounted to $25.44 billion, marking a three percent increase compared to the 135th session held last spring. Notably, over 60 percent of these deals were made with Belt and Road partner countries.

"Our company received numerous buyers from emerging markets, particularly from South America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, while European clients also showed strong interest, reflecting our expanding global reach," said Xue Xinyu, general manager of foreign trade of Zhejiang XINGX Refrigeration Co., Ltd.

"Our company was previously over-reliant on the U.S. market, but the Canton Fair gave us broader opportunities," Xue said. While the company expects its U.S. exports to decline by about 20 percent this year, expansion in Europe and other markets will offset this drop, with overall business projected to grow by approximately 10 percent.

"The outstanding results of the session showcase how Chinese foreign trade enterprises have transformed the event from a traditional trading platform into a global industrial chain hub through technological innovation, institutional openness, and market diversification," observed Deng Jiangnian, a researcher at the Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences. He added that this not only counters unilateralism but also marks China's shift in foreign trade from scale expansion to value creation.

In addition, a multitude of new products, technologies, designs, materials, and manufacturing processes were showcased. Green, low-carbon, and smart products garnered significant attention, serving as key drivers for securing orders and expanding market share. Companies displayed over 4.55 million products on-site, including 1.02 million new products, 880,000 green low-carbon ones, and 320,000 intelligent ones.

In the Service Robots Zone, 46 robot companies collectively showcased China's latest advancements in service robots and related industrial chains, making it a prominent highlight of the event.

Zhang Qingfu, vice-president of Haier Overseas Electric Appliances Corp, a subsidiary of Chinese home appliances giant Haier Group, said that compared to European standards, Haier's latest washing machine models save 60 percent energy, large-capacity refrigerators save 20 percent energy, and heat pump dishwashers save 40 percent energy, gaining favor from many overseas buyers.