10/05/2025
【The 137th Canton Fair Successfully Concluded】
The onsite exhibition of the 137th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) concluded successfully in Guangzhou on May 5. Zhou Shanqing, Director General of the Canton Fair Press Center and Deputy Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre, introduced the overall operation of this session to the press from home and abroad.
The 137th Canton Fair implemented the guidelines of President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letters and the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Commerce and Guangdong Province, and thanks to the concerted efforts of relevant ministries, local commerce departments, China’s diplomatic and consular missions and all the staff, the fair set multiple new records, and achieved the goal of excellence, success, security and integrity, contributing to stabilizing the scale and improving the quality of foreign trade and injecting new momentum into global trade development.
Overseas buyer attendance onsite hit a new record. As of May 4 (same below), a total of 288,938 overseas buyers from 219 countries and regions attended the fair onsite, marking a 17.3% increase compared to the 135th session. Both new and regular buyers flocked to the fair. The number of new and regular buyers reached 171,750 and 117,188 respectively, up by 14.6% and 21.4% from the 135th session. Emerging markets remained the largest source of buyers. Buyers from Belt and Road countries totaled 187,450, marking a 17.4% rise and accounting for 64.9% of the total. 72,417 buyers were from BRICS countries, representing a 24.1% increase from the 135th session. The number of buyers from Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) member states were 64,808, up by 6.9% year-on-year. The number of buyers from Europe, USA and Canada reached 51,862, marking a 3.4% rise compared to the 135th session. A total of 140 industrial organizations and chambers of commerce organized buyer delegations to the fair, up by 17.6%. Representatives of 376 leading multinational enterprises attended this session, setting a record high.
Intended export transactions onsite continued to grow. Intended export transactions onsite amounted to 25.44 billion USD, an increase of 3%. Transactions made by BRI countries accounted for over 60% of the total, playing a significant role in driving this growth. Deals made by traditional markets remained stable. Exhibiting companies expressed that products with great quality and performance, innovative features and renowned brands were more favored. Overseas buyers were brisk in placing orders, furthering enhancing exhibitors’ confidence in exploring diversified markets.
New drivers of foreign trade have gained momentum at an ever-quickening pace. This Canton Fair displayed a plethora of new products, technologies, designs, materials, and techniques. Green, low-carbon, and intelligent products gained wide attention, becoming pivotal in securing orders and expanding markets. Over 4.55 million products were exhibited onsite, including 1.02 million new products, 880,000 green and low-carbon products, and 320,000 intelligent products. The first-time established Service Robots Zone became a huge hit and went viral, featuring 46 domestic leading robotics companies with over 500 types of robots across 60 niche sectors. On average, exhibitors in this zone received an average of 300 buyers per day. The Canton Fair Award (CF Award) Gallery displayed 147 award-winning products, attracting 40,000 visits.
Exhibitors at International Pavilion achieved significant gains. 736 enterprises from 50 countries and regions exhibited in the International Pavilion, 67% of which were from BRI countries. Plenty of international brand enterprises displayed intelligent manufacturing products and quality home consumer goods, attracting domestic and international buyers’ attention. Having reached intentional cooperation with many Chinese companies, enterprises from Russia, Thailand, and Turkey delegations reported substantial gains, and their products are expected to enter the Chinese market swiftly.
The online platform operated steadily. 527,185 buyers from 229 countries and regions attended this session online. Exhibitors’ store pages were visited 4.3737 million times. The updated Canton Fair App is now available in 2 versions tailored for buyers and suppliers respectively. With enhanced features, it enables a fully digitized experience from itinerary planning to client follow-ups. Its all-year-round trade-matchmaking function helps sustain potential cooperation. The App has seen over 320,000 downloads. It has truly become an “online deal maker and onsite trade helper.”
Trade promotion events were result-oriented and efficient. In line with the current hot topics of international trade and companies’ demands, the fair held 1,206 trade promotion events, helping enterprises stay informed about market trends and expand their markets. 438 Canton Fair New Collection activities created new platforms for debuting innovative products, which attracted over 6,000 buyers on-site and garnered more than 1.5 million online views. 734 “Trade Bridge” events drawn over 4,000 participants, including domestic and international business organizations, buyers, and suppliers. 15 “Discover Canton Fair with Bee and Honey” activities amassed over 5.5 million online views. Collaborating with leading think tanks, industry associations, and relevant institutions, the fair organized 19 industry forums which focused on the cutting-edge and trending topics of international trade, attracting an audience of 2,600. 11 forward-looking and trend-setting reports were released, including the Report on China Foreign Trade Logistics Development and the White Paper on Opportunities for Consumer Electronics Going Global. The launching ceremony for the Guangzhou stop of “Premium Chinese Export Products Tour” was held during this session, providing a platform for Chinese foreign trade enterprises to seek domestic sales.
IPR protection safeguarded innovative development. In this session, high-standard IPR protection and trade dispute mediation service were offered to maintain a sound business environment and safeguard companies’ innovative development. IPR infringement cases involving 356 companies were received, and 169 companies were determined as constituting alleged infringement. 25 trade disputes were dealt with, 19 of which reached mediation. Exhibition certificates were issued for 3 enterprises.
Supporting services were thoughtful. The 137th Canton Fair continued to optimize services to improve the overall experience for exhibitors and buyers. The Trade Service Area introduced 153 enterprises to offer whole-chain trade services, including financial insurance, logistics and warehousing, and testing and certification. The Canton Fair Product Design & Trade Promotion Center (PDC) featured 44 domestic and international design companies, and received 5,300 visitors. The fair maintained its commitment to boosting the sustainable development of exhibitions by continuing 100% green booth construction and dismantling, organizing a campaign to select “Green and Beautiful Booth”, and promoting and implementing relevant national standards. Badge services were further optimized, with a total of 751,000 badges issued. Notably, 60% of overseas buyers got their badges on self-printing kiosks. The fair recorded 2.544 million entries and 45,000 vehicle entries. 3 sheltered walkways were set up to connect 2 nearby metro stations to the Complex, ensuring comfortable passage for attendees. 1.32 million meals were served, with optimized dining layouts and in-Complex delivery services meeting diverse culinary needs. For the first time, the Canton Fair Music and Food Festival rolled out the “Canton Cuisine Carnival,” offering an immersive experience that combined Cantonese cuisine, music, and cultural activities, allowing domestic and international guests to appreciate the unique charm of Chinese culture alongside business activities.
To contribute to national efforts to stabilize foreign trade, apart from booth fee exemption for Traditional Chinese Specialty Section, the 137th Canton Fair also reduced booth fees by 50% for exhibitors in the National Pavilion.
The Canton Fair helped companies better navigate external risks and challenges in a pragmatic manner, taking the responsibility as China’s No.1 Fair. This measure earned widespread acclaim from companies and all walks of life.The 137th Canton Fair attracted significant attention from both domestic and international media, with 1,831 journalists from 228 media outlets attending onsite. Reporters meticulously planned and performed comprehensive coverage, creating a favorable public opinion environment for a splendid and successful Canton Fair.
Exhibitors and buyers are welcome to visit the Canton Fair online platform as it continues to operate regularly after the onsite exhibition concluded. The booth application for National Pavilion of the 138th Canton Fair has started on May 1st. Please apply for booths through the official channel.
The 138th Canton Fair will be held in Guangzhou from October 15 to November 4, 2025, in three phases. We look forward to meeting you again in the golden autumn.
