Canton Fair at 70: How China brings certainty to global trade

"We have participated in the Canton Fair for decades and successfully developed our business in the Chinese market," said Yohanes Gunawan, export department manager at an Indonesian fast-moving consumer goods company PT Sinar Antjol.

"It's an indispensable platform for international trade.

We have never missed a session since our first participation, and we will continue to take part in the future," he said.

The company's long-standing presence at the fair reflects its enduring appeal to global businesses.

The 140th China Import and Export Fair, widely known as the Canton Fair, held its first day of exhibition in Guangzhou on Thursday, marking the 70th anniversary of the event.

Over the past 70 years, the Canton Fair has grown from attracting 1,200 buyers at its inaugural session to 310,000 today, reflecting China's expanding role in global trade and deepening integration into the global trading system.

As the world's largest goods trader, China has become an anchor of certainty in global trade.

Data released by China's General Administration of Customs on Wednesday showed that the country's goods imports and exports reached 39.94 trillion yuan (about $5.96 trillion) in the first three quarters of this year, up 18.8% year on year.

Global buyers flock to the fair Bustling exhibition halls are bringing together exhibitors and buyers from around the world at the Canton Fair, which has attracted 310,000 buyers from more than 220 countries and regions to Guangzhou.

One of the fair's biggest draws is its evolving range of products, reflecting China's shift toward innovation-driven and higher-value trade.

In its early years, transactions were dominated by agricultural and sideline products.

Today, technology has taken center stage.

The first phase of this year's fair focuses on emerging trends in innovation, green development and intelligence, featuring 17 specialized exhibition zones for emerging and future industries.

Cutting-edge products in areas such as brain-computer interfaces, next-generation energy storage and advanced chips are also on display.