President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 140th China Import and Export Fair, known as the Canton Fair, underscoring China's commitment to keeping global supply chains stable and advancing multilateral trade cooperation.
Premier addresses the opening ceremony
This year's fair opened October 14 in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, with Premier Li Qiang attending the opening ceremony and delivering a keynote speech. Li said China, acting as both a “super seller” and a “super buyer,” intends to keep expanding mutually beneficial cooperation, import more high value goods, welcome foreign investment and support reform of the World Trade Organization. WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also delivered a video address.
A three week event on a vast scale
Co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Guangdong provincial government, this year's fair runs through November 4. Organizers expect more than 30,000 exhibitors and roughly 340,000 overseas buyers, with products spanning consumer electronics, energy storage, AI related products and medical equipment. First held in 1957, the fair is approaching its 70th year and is widely watched as a barometer of China's foreign trade.
Trade figures keep climbing
China's goods trade rose 17.6 percent year on year in the first eight months of 2026 to reach 34.78 trillion yuan, or about 5.2 trillion dollars, according to the General Administration of Customs. Exports grew 14.6 percent over that period, while imports rose 22 percent.
