Canton Fair, Global Share

Hi guys all, I hope you had a happy Monday.

Last week I was very busy and extremly tired, I participated in #CantonFair2023 and today I want to make a brief summary of what I've seen.

I'll start with a number, 370,000 people, so popular is not a tourist attraction, but the largest-ever China Import and Export Fair, the 133rd. 370,000 people is the visitors on its opening day alone. It can be said that the popularity of the Canton Fair is as hot as the weather in Guangzhou in April.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the fair was held online instead, and now it is finally back to being held offline. Exhibitors and buyers alike flocked in in droves, and it is understood that a standard booth (9㎡) can cost up to 130,000 RMB. The exhibition area and the number of exhibitors hit a record high. This scenery is reflecting China's economic hot air.

In fact, the foreign trade data in the first quarter of this year is also the same, the overall is gradually improving, especially the performance of exports is more positive. I also have feelings in the aluminum industry, since March, foreign customers of building materials orders in the gradual recovery, the domestic automotive field and rail transportation type material even appeared growth.

China's exports can have such a performance, I think there are two reasons:

First, the strong production capacity of Chinese manufacturing. Many foreign buyers in the Canton Fair stroll down there is an obvious feeling is that in China can buy any goods you want to buy, secondly, the high quality development of Chinese manufacturing steps solidly. New products, products with technological content, increasingly competitive. In the first quarter, the export of electric vehicles, photovoltaic products, lithium batteries grew significantly, and is one of the highlights of the Canton Fair.

Of course, today's Canton Fair is not only a platform for buyers, everyone here, but also to find investment and cooperation opportunities. A few days ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping said during his tour of southern economic powerhouse Guangdong that he hoped foreign investors would seize the opportunity to come to China, to Guangdong, and to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. China's reform and opening-up policy will remain unchanged for a long time, and China will not stop its reform and opening-up.

This is a declaration of openness and a warm invitation. As a manufacturer, we attach great importance to the trade promotional role of the Canton Fair and hope to further diversify our sales channels through this platform.

Also we can see buyers from overseas, including the United States, Europe and emerging markets along the Belt and Road.

Coppel, the largest department store chain in Mexico, “We have been able to source quality suppliers of all categories at the trade fair and build strong partnership relationships, many of which have lasted over the years,” said Jennifer Patton, sourcing director for Coppel.

Fifty-three leading multinationals, including United States retailer Walmart, French retailer Auchan, German discounter Lidl and Abu Dhabi-based supermarket chain Lulu, are also attending the fair.

Joan Basagana, president of the company, said it was better to attend the trade fair in person. “The physical fair is still the one that we prefer, because we can have direct communication with Chinese companies, see and touch the products and make the right purchase with greater efficiency and get a better outcome,” Basagana said.