The 139th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) successfully concluded in Guangzhou on May 5th. Held in the inaugural year of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), this edition delivered an impressive performance characterized by unprecedented scale, robust international attendance and solid industrial strength, underscoring the enduring resilience and openness of China’s foreign trade sector.
The 139th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) opened in Guangzhou on April 15, 2026(Xinhua News Agency)
Innovation and smart manufacturing empower foreign trade upgrading
This year’s Canton Fair set new benchmarks across multiple metrics. According to official figures, the exhibition area expanded to 1.55 million square meters, featuring 75,700 booths and over 32,000 participating enterprises, including approximately 3,900 first-time exhibitors. The event drew 314,000 overseas buyers from 220 countries and regions. While buyer attendance from traditional export destinations saw notable growth, participation from Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries remained strong, further expanding China’s global network of trade partners.
On April 23, overseas buyers (left) conduct business negotiations at the daily-use porcelain booth during the second phase of the 139th Canton Fair(Xinhua News Agency)
Throughout the exhibition halls, products featuring “innovative, green, and smart” technologies emerged as key drivers for unlocking global markets. The “Lingkong K3,” a high-rise facade cleaning robot showcased by Guangzhou Lingdu Intelligent Technology Development Co., Ltd. (X-Human), drew significant attention for its sustainability features. According to Huang Jian, the company’s Deputy General Manager, the robot consumes only one tonne of water for tasks that traditionally require 20 tonnes. The device reportedly triples the efficiency of manual labor while achieving a water-saving rate of up to 95%, making it a highly sought-after solution that replaces high-risk aerial work and aligns with global low-carbon demands. During the fair, the company noted that its household window-cleaning robot, “Xiaofeixia X1,” maintained an average daily sales volume of around 100 units, with buyers from the Middle East and Southeast Asia placing orders on the spot, temporarily selling out the demo units.
On April 15, children shook hands with a robotic dog at the Canton Fair(Xinhua News Agency)
In the Smart Home Appliances Zone, Guangdong Chigo Air Conditioning Co., Ltd. (CHIGO) debuted new AI-enabled units that quickly became crowd favorites. Equipped with millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar technology to sense indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity levels, as well as occupancy patterns, these air conditioners utilize AI algorithms to autonomously optimize performance across four core modes: AI Voice Control, AI Noise Reduction, AI Power-Saving, and AI Sleep. The company stated that these innovations can yield up to 30% in energy savings compared to conventional models. Digital empowerment also enhanced the fair’s efficiency. Using the Canton Fair app’s smart navigation, an Indonesian buyer named Saeed quickly located the CHIGO booth. Supported by the app’s AI-assisted translation and smart note-taking features, the subsequent negotiation was streamlined, rapidly resulting in a preliminary purchase intent.
On April 15, 2026, overseas buyers visited and learned about a security robot at the 139th Canton Fair(Xinhua News Agency)
Proactive adaptation to external risks
Amid a turbulent international landscape marked by supply chain restructuring, energy price volatility, and persistent regional conflicts, foreign trade enterprises face multiple uncertainties. As China’s largest province by foreign trade volume, Guangdong is actively navigating these challenges. The 139th Canton Fair served as a critical platform for enterprises to break through, bearing witness to Guangdong companies’ proactive innovation and adaptability—and revealing the underlying resilience of China’s foreign trade.
On April 15, foreign businessmen visited and held business negotiations at the Canton Fair venue(Xinhua News Agency)
The fair’s continuous service optimization and its “long-tail effect” keep injecting momentum into international trade. First-time exhibitor Zhongshen Technology (Guangdong) Co., Ltd. attracted massive crowds with its smart, aesthetically designed gelato machines and mobile gelato carts. The company reported securing over USD 100,000 in letters of intent within just the first two days. “The Canton Fair is an excellent platform to explore overseas markets; it allows us to engage end-users directly and track global consumer trends,” a company representative noted. Buyers from Europe and Southeast Asia have already scheduled factory visits to lay the groundwork for long-term cooperation.
Cross-border partnerships are also shifting toward higher value. Indonesia’s leading retail conglomerate, Kawan Lama Group, has attended the fair since 1995. Procurement director Zhu Zhiwei highlighted the fair’s “one-stop sourcing” advantage, spanning everything from toothbrushes to automobiles. Recently, the group expanded its procurement beyond physical goods, partnering with Chinese firms like Guangzhou Light Industry & Trade Group and Orange Branding for value-added services such as brand strategy upgrades, product design, and packaging design. Today, the group has grown into Indonesia’s largest retailer and a leading supplier to the industrial manufacturing sector.
A representative from CHIGO noted that, as a Guangdong enterprise having cultivated overseas markets for 27 years, the brand has built a sales network covering over 180 countries and regions. By launching customized products tailored to diverse regional demands, CHIGO secured substantial preliminary orders from Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia at this session. This extends the strong momentum of its Q1 overseas sales, which reportedly grew by over 35% year-on-year, demonstrating how the company leverages a global footprint and technological innovation to hedge against international market volatility.
During this Canton Fair, the number of partners from the Belt and Road partner countries continued to grow, with emerging markets such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Russia rising as major sources of orders. Guangdong’s foreign trade is progressively shedding its reliance on traditional export destinations, building a diversified framework capable of withstanding external risks. Fernandes, a Brazilian buyer attending his 19th consecutive Canton Fair, remarked: “Every year the Canton Fair brings new trends—especially the innovation from Chinese enterprises. That is why we keep returning here to find opportunities.”