Published by ChinaMNC ยท Zhongfang
Canton Fair 140th Session Opens: What Foreign Founders Should Know About China's Largest Trade Exhibition
The 140th Canton Fair opened in Guangzhou on October 15, drawing roughly 340,000 overseas buyers and about 32,000 exhibitors. Phase One focuses on advanced manufacturing, with dedicated zones for robotics, drones, and other emerging industries.
140th Canton Fair Opens in Guangzhou
The 140th session of the China Import and Export Fair, widely known as the Canton Fair, opened in Guangzhou on October 15. For foreign founders building or scaling a China-based company, the event is a practical window into the country's manufacturing base, supplier landscape, and emerging technology sectors.
According to the official announcement, approximately 32,000 companies are exhibiting this session, and about 340,000 overseas buyers are attending to source products. The fair runs in three phases from October 15 to November 4.
Phase One: Advanced Manufacturing
Phase One is themed "Advanced Manufacturing." More than 12,000 companies are exhibiting in this phase. Among them, over 6,000 are described as high-quality exhibitors, including high-tech enterprises, specialized and sophisticated ("little giant") firms, and single-product champions.
For founders evaluating manufacturing partners or technology suppliers, this concentration of exhibitors offers a way to compare capabilities across a large number of firms in a single setting.
Focus on New, Green, and Smart
Phase One is organized around trends described as "new, green, and smart." The exhibition focuses on global sourcing hot spots such as new energy, smart manufacturing, and embodied intelligence.
Seventeen special zones are dedicated to emerging and future industries, including service robots, drones, and display technology. The phase also showcases outcomes in new-quality productive forces, such as new energy storage, high-end chips, and AI visualization products.
For foreign founders in hardware, automation, or energy-related sectors, these zones can help identify suppliers and technology partners in areas that are receiving policy and market attention in China.
Trade Services Zone
In the trade services exhibition area, nine trade service zones are set up around producer services. According to the source, this is the first time the fair has achieved full coverage of ten major categories of producer services.
Producer services typically include areas such as logistics, design, testing, and other support functions that manufacturers rely on. For founders setting up operations in China, this zone can be a starting point for understanding the service ecosystem around manufacturing.
New Product Launches and Schedule
The 140th Canton Fair is held in three phases from October 15 to November 4. More than 700 new product launch events are planned. The number of products released is reported to be up 15 percent. This session also features a new-product launch display area for the first time.
Founders looking for new suppliers or product categories may find the launch events useful for spotting emerging offerings before they become widely distributed.
Practical Takeaways for Foreign Founders
- Supplier discovery: With about 32,000 exhibitors, the fair offers a broad pool of potential manufacturing and sourcing partners across phases.
- Sector focus: Phase One's advanced manufacturing theme and 17 emerging-industry zones are relevant to founders in robotics, drones, displays, new energy, and AI-related hardware.
- Service ecosystem: The trade services area, with nine zones and full coverage of ten producer-service categories, can help founders understand support services available to manufacturers.
- Timing and planning: The three-phase schedule from October 15 to November 4 means founders should plan which phase aligns with their sourcing or partnership goals.
- Market signals: The reported attendance of about 340,000 overseas buyers indicates continued international interest in sourcing from China.
Why It Matters for Company Registration and Operations
Foreign founders often use trade fairs to validate product categories, meet suppliers, and study how competitors position themselves in the China market. The Canton Fair's scale and sector coverage make it a practical reference point when planning sourcing, establishing a local entity, or exploring partnerships with Chinese manufacturers.
The source article does not provide details on registration procedures, tax rules, or investment incentives. Founders should treat the fair as a market-research and networking opportunity and seek separate professional guidance on corporate establishment and compliance.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Event: 140th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair)
- Opening date: October 15
- Location: Guangzhou
- Duration: October 15 to November 4, in three phases
- Exhibitors: About 32,000 companies
- Overseas buyers: About 340,000
- Phase One theme: Advanced Manufacturing
- Phase One exhibitors: Over 12,000 companies, including over 6,000 high-quality exhibitors
- Emerging-industry zones: 17, covering areas such as service robots, drones, and display technology
- New product launches: Over 700 events planned; product releases up 15 percent
This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.