How China's market draws the world

People try a coffee making robot at the 139th edition of the China Import and 联合早报动态新闻网Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 15, 2026. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

GUANGZHOU/HAIKOU, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Two international exhibitions that kicked off in southern China this month are showcasing how China's vast market continues to captivate the globe with an open posture.

The 139th edition of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, opened in south China's Guangdong Province, and the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) is in full swing in the tropical island province of Hainan.

The Canton Fair, China's longest-established trade fair, has seen record participation across its exhibition metrics this time. This year's CICPE marks the first major national exhibition since the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) and the first since the Hainan Free Trade Port fully launched island-wide special customs operations in December last year.

Echoing each other, the Canton Fair and the CICPE together sketch a vibrant picture of a "two-way street" in global trade, where "selling to the world" meets "buying from the world."

The Canton Fair has witnessed China's manufacturing industry climb the global value chain over the past decades, evolving from a low-end contract manufacturer into a global powerhouse of smart production.

At the 139th session, over 32,000 companies exhibited, including about 3,900 first-time participants. Tech-driven innovations took center stage among the more than 4.65 million products showcased, with new, green and independently developed products accounting for 23 percent, 22 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

Ecovacs Group, which initially sought OEM orders at the Canton Fair, now uses the fair as a key platform to showcase the technological strengths of its proprietary brand, unveiling embodied AI products such as AI companions and home butler robots. Zhejiang Safun Industrial introduced its intelligent lawn mower robots targeted at high-end markets in Europe and America.

This move up the value chain continues to draw global buyers.

German household appliance company Severin has participated in the Canton Fair for over 30 years. The company's representative said they have met many long-term partners at the fair and hope to find new friends by continuing to participate.

Such trust and anticipation are commonplace at the fair. Data show that 290 major global purchasing enterprises confirmed their attendance, a 30 percent year-on-year increase, including Fortune 500 companies and global retail giants such as Walmart, Tesco and Carrefour.

This photo taken on April 16, 2026 shows a view of the pavilion of Canada, guest of honor of the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

If the Canton Fair showcases China's capability to "sell to the world," the CICPE in Hainan underscores China's massive domestic purchasing power. The event attracted over 3,400 brands from more than 60 countries and regions, with international exhibits accounting for 65 percent of the total, up 20 percentage points from last year.

The exhibition floors featured a concentrated array of global premium goods, ranging from Canadian ice wine, Swiss watches and Malaysian bird's nest products to South African handicrafts.

"For multinational corporations, the value here has long gone beyond merely viewing exhibits to observing trends, exploring scenarios, seeking cooperation and envisioning the future," said He Yizhou, managing director and China CEO of Australian Capital Equity.

Both events are also evolving beyond their traditional boundaries. The consumer expo introduced a pavilion dedicated to exporting "Chinese chic products," including porcelain, silk, traditional Chinese medicine and cultural creative products, while the Canton Fair continues its transition from the original "export commodities fair" toward a more balanced import-export platform.

As industry experts have noted, through these exhibitions, the world sees a more open China with concrete actions to advance high-standard opening up and share its development dividends with the world.  ■