Major trade fair on

GUANGZHOU: One of the country's largest trade exhibitions is scheduled to open in the capital of Guangdong province today, at a time when the prospects of China's exports for the last quarter of this year are unclear amid global financial turmoil and weak demand in developed economies.

The 104th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, is scheduled to run until Nov 6, hosting 22,341 domestic and foreign exhibitors, fair spokesman Mu Xinhai said yesterday.

The event has long been regarded as a barometer of China's trade. It is widely believed that the transactions of the next three weeks will be indicative of the outlook for the country's exports for the rest of the year.