China's largest trade fair hits new high amid intense trade protectionism

The 137th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, concluded on May 5 in South China's Guangdong province, with organizers announcing the participation of over 288,000 overseas buyers.

This was a 17.3 percent increase from the previous session and hit a new high. There were 171,750 first-time attendees. Purchasers from countries participating in Belt and Road cooperation totaled 187,450, up 17.4 percent year on year and representing 64.9 percent of all overseas buyers.

The event also attracted over 527,000 online buyers from 229 countries and regions around the world.

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A total of 4.55 million exhibits were showcased, including 1.02 million new products, 880,000 green and low-carbon products, and 320,000 smart products.

The inaugural service robotics zone emerged as a highlight of the event, with 46 Chinese manufacturers presenting over 500 advanced robots covering 60 industrial applications.

The fair proved that in spite of intensified trade protectionism and geopolitical tensions, China's products and market are still appealing to foreign business people, experts and business owners said.

"I've participated in the fair twice a year, every year, without missing a single session," said Afghan businessman Haji Torab Khan. Attending for the 11th time, Khan said the event plays a vital role in supporting Afghan commerce.

"Before attending, few commercial goods reached our market. Even imported products seemed to arrive by chance. Now, being part of this exhibition feels like walking through a garden, choosing what you want," he said.

Direct access to manufacturers allows Afghan traders to bypass intermediaries, cutting costs that would burden local consumers.

"At the fair, we connect directly with original factories. We meet the companies in person and buy from people we trust. This face-to-face interaction is essential and plays a major role in our success," Khan said.

For Musafer, who runs an electronics store in Afghanistan, the fair has allowed him to offer affordable, high-quality products to a population facing economic hardship.

Cheaper, accessible

"Chinese goods are cheaper and more accessible for Afghan people. For example, a refrigerator imported from Pakistan used to cost about 50,000 Afghanis ($714). Now, we can purchase a high-quality one for about 13,000 Afghanis," Musafer explained.

Chris Arthan, an exhibitor from the United States, said despite the impact of tariffs, China's role in the global supply chain remains crucial and widely respected.

Dinova, a retail company headquartered in France which finds most of its suppliers at the Canton Fair, has made China the core of its global sourcing strategy, according to its general manager Sonia Ben Behe.

"We have explored alternative countries, but no other region matches China's maturity for our product category. That's why, as part of a global sourcing strategy, China remains at the core," she said.

Niu Huayong, professor at the International Business School of Beijing Foreign Studies University, said the success of this year's China International Consumer Products Expo, or CICPE, and Canton Fair highlights that trade and cooperation remain key drivers of global development.

Amid current global trade turbulence, international buyers attending the Canton Fair still consider Chinese products highly attractive and even irreplaceable, he said.

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Zhang Yansheng, an economist with the Academy of Macroeconomic Research, said that the resilience of China's foreign trade against the backdrop of growing protectionism in the world is evident.

"At a time when the sentiment of anti-globalization grows, China will stick to the path of opening up at a high level, and promote economic globalization, as well as trade and investment liberalization," he said.