China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, was established in 1957. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, and organized by the China Foreign Trade Centre, it is held every spring and autumn in Guangzhou, China. As China’s oldest, largest, and most comprehensive international trade event, the Canton Fair features the widest product range, the largest number of buyers, the broadest geographical representation, and the highest turnover in the country.
After 69 years of reform and innovation, the Canton Fair has withstood various challenges and never been interrupted. It strengthens trade links between China and the world, and showcases China’s development achievements and national image. It serves as a premier platform for Chinese enterprises to explore global markets and a benchmark for implementing China’s foreign trade strategies. The Canton Fair remains the most important platform for promoting China’s foreign trade, a barometer of the sector, and a window, epitome and symbol of China’s opening-up.
By the 139th session (April–May 2026), cumulative exports facilitated by the Fair have reached approximately USD 1.8 trillion, with over 9.5 million overseas buyers in attendance historically. The 2026 Spring Session (139th) recorded:
Total exhibition area: 1.55 million m²
Exhibitors: more than 32,000 (including over 11,000 high-quality “specialized, refined, differential and innovative” enterprises)
Overseas buyers: 314,000 from 220 countries and regions
In 2021, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 130th Canton Fair, emphasizing that the Fair should serve the new development paradigm, innovate mechanisms, enrich business models, and expand functions, so as to become an important platform for China’s all-round opening-up, high-quality international trade, and dual circulation. The instruction has since guided the Fair’s high-quality development and innovation.
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Canton Fair adheres to the principles of innovation, coordination, green development, openness and sharing. It continues to advance specialization, digitalization, market orientation and internationalization, striving to build a Smart Canton Fair and a Green Canton Fair. The Fair is transforming from a traditional export platform into a comprehensive hub integrating business matching, exhibition and negotiation, industrial exchange, information release and product promotion. It fully leverages its role as a key opening-up platform connecting China to the world, making new contributions to building China into a strong economic and trade power and developing an open economy.
