The 140th Canton Fair: Dates, Scale and the Official Numbers

The 140th China Import and Export Fair, better known as the Canton Fair, will run in three phases from 15 October to 4 November in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. More than 32,000 companies are set to exhibit, the Ministry of Commerce said on Friday, while more than 210,000 overseas buyers have already completed pre-registration.

Assistant Commerce Minister Zhang Li told a press conference that the fair has become China's largest and longest-running international trade event, measured by product range, buyer numbers and transaction volume. This year marks its 70th anniversary: the event has expanded from 9,600 square metres of exhibition space and 1,200 buyers at its first session to 1.55 million square metres and roughly 310,000 buyers today.

The fair arrives against a strong trade backdrop. China's merchandise trade rose 17.6 percent year on year to 34.8 trillion yuan, or about 5.15 trillion US dollars, in the first eight months of 2026; exports rose 14.6 percent and imports increased 22 percent. Zhang said innovation and structural upgrading are increasingly visible in China's foreign trade, and that trend is reflected in this year's exhibitor mix.

The event will feature more than 11,000 high-quality enterprises, including specialist manufacturers and firms that lead in narrow manufacturing segments. New products will account for 23.2 percent of exhibits and green products 26 percent, both record shares, while roughly 64 percent of exhibitors use industrial internet or artificial intelligence technologies.

Why the Canton Fair Still Matters to China's Export Strategy

The fair’s official numbers offer more than a preview of an event; they show how Chinese exporters are positioning themselves in global trade.

Small share of companies, outsized export contribution

Participating companies account for roughly 5 percent of China’s foreign trade enterprises but contribute about 16 percent of the country’s general trade exports, according to Zhang Li. That gap is not new. From 1965 to 1979, exports generated through the fair accounted for more than 30 percent of China’s total exports in some years and exceeded 50 percent in others. The latest figures suggest the fair remains a concentrated venue for companies that convert buyer interest into actual export volume.

From selling products to selling systems

Zhang said foreign trade companies are moving beyond simply securing orders and selling goods toward building business systems and improving services. The fair will cover 10 categories of producer services for the first time, and 36.5 percent of exhibitors have shifted to a product plus service model. That is a structural signal: Chinese manufacturers are trying to attach maintenance, logistics, design or other services to hardware, rather than competing on product price alone.

Digital and green becomes the default

The official figures point to a maturing exhibition economy: 64 percent of exhibitors use industrial internet or AI, while new and green products take record shares of the floor. The fair itself is becoming a testbed, with 22 smart application scenarios, 16 AI applications, venue-wide booth-level navigation and augmented reality displays of booth information. That creates a clearer line between technology-heavy exhibitors and those still competing on traditional categories.

Moves for Exporters and Buyers at the 2026 Canton Fair

For businesses using the fair as a sales channel or sourcing trip, the practical signals are specific.

  • Exhibitors should prepare for digital-first buyer behaviour. The fair introduces booth-level navigation and AR booth information for the first time; with 64 percent of exhibitors already using AI or industrial internet, complete product data and clear service offers are likely to matter as much as the physical booth.
  • Service-led exporters have a new first-time window. The trade services section will cover 10 categories of producer services, and 36.5 percent of exhibitors report a product plus service model. An exporter can use that section to present service capabilities alongside hardware rather than after a buyer asks.
  • Buyers targeting green or new products have a defined search space. New products will be 23.2 percent of exhibits and green products 26 percent, record shares. Those categories can be screened early in the three-phase schedule from 15 October to 4 November.
  • Pre-registration momentum is already strong. More than 210,000 overseas buyers have pre-registered, with the commerce ministry expecting the number to rise as the opening nears. That suggests scheduling meetings before the event may be more effective than waiting for on-site availability.