Canton Fair enters 3rd phase after record overseas buyer turnout

The third phase of the 140th China Import and Export Fair, commonly known as the Canton Fair, kicked off in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, on Saturday, under the theme "Better Life". It runs through Wednesday.

Covering 515,000 square meters with 25,000 booths, the third phase features 21 exhibition zones across five major categories, including toys and maternity, baby and children's products, fashion, home textiles, health and leisure, and stationery.

More than 12,000 enterprises are participating, of which more than 3,100 are high-quality suppliers. They are showcasing their latest technologies and new and high-quality products to seek expansion of Sino-foreign exchanges and cooperation and increase their presence in the global market, organizers said.

By the end of Phase 2 on Tuesday, the fair, which opened in mid-October, had attracted more than 278,000 overseas buyers from 218 countries and regions, up 13.4 percent from the same period of the previous session and hitting a record high.

Buyers from Brazil and the United States registered notable growth, organizers added.

Many offshore buyers described the Canton Fair as a trade bridge connecting distant lands, according to organizers.

"It facilitates mutual understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation through business negotiations and exchanges, enabling global partners to witness the innovation and vitality of Chinese manufacturing, as well as the stability and resilience of China's industrial and supply chains," overseas buyers said.

Jointly hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Guangdong Provincial Government, the Canton Fair is held twice a year in spring and autumn in Guangzhou, a city known as a millennium-old commercial capital. Each session consists of three phases.

Canton Fair, regarded as a barometer of the country's foreign trade, has now become China's comprehensive international trade event with the longest history, largest scale, widest range of commodities, the most numerous and widely sourced buyers, best transaction results and highest reputation.

The 139th session of the fair attracted more than 314,000 overseas buyers from 220 countries and regions, representing a 1.1 percent increase compared to the 138th one. It also attracted participation from 407 purchasing companies and 154 international business organizations, playing a big part in promoting the country's foreign trade development.