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From April 15th to May 5th, 2026, the 139th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) was grandly held in Guangzhou. As the first major global trade event of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, this year's Canton Fair saw a record-breaking number of participating enterprises.
Image Source: 699pic.com
The scale of this year's Canton Fair surpassed previous sessions, reflecting the solid foundation of China's export trade's steady progress and improved quality. In terms of exhibit structure, export trade is accelerating its shift from traditional labor-intensive to technology-intensive and high-value-added: exhibition areas for consumer electronics, industrial automation, and new materials continued to expand, while nine brand-new specialized zones, including smart wearables, display technology, and consumer drones, were established for the first time, showcasing the achievements of new productive forces and making "Made in China 2025" a core competitive advantage in export trade.
The structure of buyers has become more optimized, and the diversification of export trade markets has yielded significant results. To date, confirmed leading buyers cover major global markets including Europe, America, ASEAN, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. For key regions such as the Middle East, the Canton Fair has launched exclusive service packages and online and offline matchmaking activities, driving both the stabilization of traditional markets and the expansion of emerging markets. This approach aims to reduce reliance on a single market and build a safer and more resilient global market network.
Export trade efficiency and convenience have both improved. Deep digital empowerment has made export trade matchmaking more efficient and wider-reaching. Breaking down time and space limitations, it has built a "cloud Canton Fair" for overseas buyers unable to attend in person, resulting in a surge in offline attendance and online traffic. The comprehensive application of digital tools such as intelligent matching, VR sample viewing, electronic contracts, and cross-border payments has significantly shortened the export trade transaction cycle, reduced customer acquisition costs for enterprises, and enabled SMEs to easily connect with large global orders.
Enterprises actively expanded into emerging markets such as the Belt and Road Initiative, RCEP member countries, the Middle East, and Latin America, launching customized products to meet different regional needs, accelerating the implementation of export trade market diversification strategies. From electromechanical products to daily consumer goods, from high-end equipment to home building materials, "Made in China" met the diverse consumer demands globally with its full range of products, high quality, and high cost-effectiveness, consolidating its position as a major export trading nation.
From "the world's factory" to "a global innovation hub," the 139th Canton Fair, with its scale, innovation, and vitality, is writing a new chapter in the high-quality development of China's export trade. Driven by new-quality productivity, guided by digitalization and green development, and oriented towards market diversification, China's export trade is accelerating its leap from "large" to "strong," seizing opportunities in the restructuring of the global supply chain and contributing more to its own development and the recovery of the world economy.