CHINA: What Is The Canton Fair?

The Canton Fair is a trade fair held in the spring and autumn seasons each year since the spring of 1957 in Canton (Guangzhou), China.

Its full name since 2007 has been China Import and Export Fair, renamed from Chinese Export Commodities Fair, also known as The Canton Fair.

The Canton Fair is co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of China and People's Government of the Guangdong Province, and organized by China Foreign Trade Centre.

The Canton Fair is the largest trade fair in China. Among China's largest trade fairs, it has the largest assortment of products, the largest attendance, and the largest number of business deals made at the fair.

Like many trade fairs it has several traditions and functions as a comprehensive event of international importance.

Fifty product trading categories, being composed of thousands of China's best foreign trade corporations or enterprises, take part in the fair.

These include private enterprises, factories, scientific research institutions, wholly foreign-owned enterprises, and foreign trade companies.

The fair leans to export trade, though import business is also done here. Apart from the above-mentioned, various types of business activities such as economic and technical cooperation and exchange, commodity inspection, insurance, transportation, advertising, and trade consultation are other activities that are also commonly carried out at the fair.

First held: April 1957.

Interval: Three phases per session; two sessions per year.

Spring session: April 15–19 (Phase 1); April 23–27 (Phase 2); May 1–5 (Phase 3). (115th Session)

Autumn session: October 15–19 (Phase 1); October 23–27 (Phase 2); October 31- November 4 (Phase 3).

Industries:

Phase 1: Electronics, household electrical appliances, machinery, lighting equipment, hardware and tools, vehicles and spare parts, building materials, chemical products.

Phase 2: Consumer products,decorations goods, gifts.

Phase 3: Textiles & garments, shoes, office supplies, cases & bags, recreation products, medicines, medical devices and health products

Venue:

China Import and Export Fair (Pazhou) Complex, 380 Yuejiangzhong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510335

Gross exhibition space: 1,125,000 m².

Number of booths: Over 55,800 standard stands (105th Session).

Varieties: Over 150,000.

Business turnover: 262.3 Million USD (105th Session).

Number of trading countries and regions: 203 (103rd Session).

Number of visitors: 165,436 (105th Session).

Exhibitors: Over 22,000 with 21,709 Chinese exhibitors, 395 international exhibitors, 105th Session.