Next dates & venue: 15–19 Oct 2025 (Phase 1) • 23–27 Oct 2025 (Phase 2) • 31 Oct–4 Nov 2025 (Phase 3) — China Import & Export Fair Complex (Pazhou), Guangzhou, China
1. Event Overview
2. Event Historic Performance
3. Event Comparison Table
4. Sectors Analysis
5. Industry Events Calendar (24 months)
6. Content and Partners Analysis
7. SWOT Analysis
8. Tech Stack Analysis
9. Where to Play, How to Win
10. Summary
Industry & purpose. The China Import & Export Fair (Canton Fair) is the PRC’s flagship, multi‑sector B2B export platform held twice yearly since 1957 in Guangzhou. It convenes global buyers, importers, wholesalers, retailers, online marketplaces and OEM/ODM specifiers with Chinese (and international pavilion) suppliers and manufacturers across 16 product categories in three phases. Core value: efficient pan‑China sourcing at scale, consolidated into one venue and calendar window.
Buyer & exhibitor profiles. Buyers span procurement, category, sourcing and product roles (SME to big-box/marketplaces). Exhibitors are predominantly Chinese manufacturers, export trading companies and brand owners; the International Pavilion adds non‑Chinese suppliers. The fair serves buyers at discovery/shortlisting and RFQ/negotiation stages; exhibitors aim for lead generation, channel expansion and export orders.
Market position. The fair positions as China’s largest and most representative export fair, with 1.55m sqm exhibition area and c.74,000 booths (137th session; spring 2025). Organisers report ~31,000 exhibitors in 137th and 288,938 overseas buyers from 219 countries/regions—a record high—indicating leadership in breadth and international reach.
Sources:
Official site overview & dates: https://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en-US/customPages/schedule
137th stats (press): https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/137th-canton-fair-successfully-concludes-in-guangzhou-with-record-number-of-overseas-attendance-302447097.html and https://www.gz.gov.cn/guangzhouinternational/the137thcantonfair/index.html
Venue background: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CantonFairComplex (cross‑checked)
KPIs (recent sessions)
| Session | Season | Overseas buyers (onsite) | Exhibitors (total) | Booths | Exhibition area | Intended deals (US$bn) |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| 134th | Autumn 2023 | 197,869 | Not found | Not found | Not found | Not found |
| 135th | Spring 2024 | 246,000 | 28,600 | Not found | ~1.55m sqm | Not found |
| 136th | Autumn 2024 | 253,000 | Not found | Not found | ~1.55m sqm | Not found |
| 137th | Spring 2025 | 288,938 | ~31,000 | ~74,000 | 1.55m sqm | 25.44 |
YoY growth (overseas buyers): 134→135: +24.5%; 135→136: +2.8%; 136→137: +14.2%.
Multi‑year CAGR (134th→137th, overseas buyers): +13.5%.
Visitors‑per‑Exhibitor (where exhibitor totals available): 135th ≈ 8.6; 137th ≈ 9.3 (trend improving).
Notes: Exhibition area held at ~1.55m sqm through 2024–2025; booth volume concentrated across three phases.
Sources:
134th onsite buyers: https://dk.mofcom.gov.cn/ExhibitionInfo/art/2024/art_88ab9447d3ab414fb41a4ebce950d01c.html
135th buyers (record): https://govt.chinadaily.com.cn/s/202405/06/WS663847cf498ed2d7b7eace99/canton-fair-concludes-with-record-number-of-intl-buyers.html
137th totals & deals: https://www.gz.gov.cn/guangzhouinternational/the137thcantonfair/index.html and https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/137th-canton-fair-successfully-concludes-in-guangzhou-with-record-number-of-overseas-attendance-302447097.html
135th exhibitor ref (28,600): Reuters summary reported pre‑event; cross‑check indicative only.
Scope: Multi‑sector sourcing shows in Mainland China & Hong Kong that compete for the same buyer trips/budgets. (N/A = main event.)
| Event (linked) | Industry | Date (next) | City & Venue | Competition Risk | Type | Freq. | Organiser | Edition | Exhibitors | Visitors | Social Followers* |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | ---: | --- | --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | --- |
| Canton Fair | Multi‑sector (export) | 15–19, 23–27, 31–4 Oct/Nov 2025 | Guangzhou, CFTC Pazhou | N/A | B2B Trade Show | Biannual | China Foreign Trade Centre | 138th | ~30,000+ | 288,938 (137th, buyers) | LinkedIn ~97k |
| Global Sources Hong Kong (Oct) | Consumer electronics, lifestyle, components | 11–14, 18–21, 27–30 Oct 2025 | Hong Kong, AsiaWorld‑Expo | High (calendar overlap, electronics/lifestyle) | B2B Trade Shows series | Biannual | Global Sources | — | 2,000–4,000 (all phases, 2025) | 80,000 buyers (claim) | LinkedIn 26.3k; FB 570k |
| HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Autumn) | Electronics | 13–16 Oct 2025 | Hong Kong, HKCEC | Medium (electronics vertical) | B2B Trade Show | Biannual (Spring/Autumn) | HKTDC | — | 1,700–2,000 (spring 2025 guide) | 60,000–88,000 (spring 2024) | — |
| Yiwu Fair | General commodities (small goods) | 21–24 Oct 2025 | Yiwu Int’l Expo Ctr | Medium (SME buyers, small commodities) | B2B Trade Show | Annual | Zhejiang/MIIT/CCPIT | — | 3,500+ | 60,000+ | — |
| Event (linked) | Industry | Date (next) | City & Venue | Competition Risk | Type | Freq. | Organiser | Edition | Exhibitors | Visitors | Social Followers* |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | ---: | --- | --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | --- |
| CIIE – China Int’l Import Expo | Import multi‑sector | 5–10 Nov 2025 | Shanghai, NECC | Low/adjacent (import focus) | B2B Expo + Forum | Annual | CIIE Bureau/MOFCOM | 8th | ~3,500 (2024) | — (intended deals $80bn 2024) | — |
| East China Fair (ECF) | Textiles, apparel, light industry | 1–4 Mar 2026 | Shanghai, SNIEC | Medium (home/textiles/gifts) | B2B Trade Show | Annual | 9 E. China provinces | 34th (est.) | ~4,000 | ~40,000 | — |
\* Social followers: indicative publicly visible counts.
Sources:
Canton Fair dates/venue: official schedule page (above).
Global Sources Oct 2025 phases & exhibitor scale: AWE & organiser pages, media recap.
HKTDC Electronics Fair dates: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkelectronicsfairae/en/fair-at-a-glance
Yiwu Fair 2025: https://goldenshiny.com/yiwu-fair-october-2025/
CIIE 2025 dates & 2024 metrics: https://www.ciie.org/zbh/en/
ECF 2025/2026: https://g.ecf.org.cn/ ; https://www.ecf.org.cn/
Main event categories (by phase)
Comparative coverage & focus
| Sector | Main Event | Global Sources HK | HKTDC Electronics | Yiwu Fair | ECF (Shanghai) | Strategy |
| --- | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | --- |
| Consumer Electronics & Components | Y | Y | Y | Partial | N | Maintain (co‑market with 365 platform; emphasise ODM) |
| Industrial Machinery/Manufacturing | Y | N | N | N | N | Grow (buyers from MEA/LatAm; demo zones) |
| Lighting & Electrical | Y | Partial | N | N | N | Maintain (specifiers programs) |
| Hardware & Tools | Y | N | N | N | N | Grow (construction/DIY distributors) |
| Building Materials/Sanitary | Y | N | N | N | N | Grow (project buyers, CPD tours) |
| Furniture/Home | Y | Partial | N | Partial | N | Maintain |
| Gifts & Premiums | Y (Phase 2) | Y (Lifestyle) | N | Partial | Y | Differentiate (sustainability labelling, compliance clinics) |
| Textiles & Apparel | Y (Phase 3) | N | N | Partial | Y (core) | Maintain (avoid direct clash with ECF window) |
| Medical/Health & Recreation | Y | N | N | N | N | Selective grow (PPE → wellness, sports tech) |
| Toys/Stationery | Y | Partial | N | Partial | N | Maintain |
White‑space opportunities
Sources:
Phase & sector definitions: official site schedule & category pages.
Global Sources focus: organiser pages.
ECF focus: https://g.ecf.org.cn/
Format: rows = events; columns = months. Dates are absolute where confirmed; otherwise typical windows marked (TBC).
| Event | 2025 Oct | 2025 Nov | 2026 Mar | 2026 Apr | 2026 May | 2026 Oct | 2026 Nov | 2027 Mar | 2027 Apr | 2027 May |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Canton Fair (Guangzhou) | 15–19, 23–27, 31–4 | — | — | (139th) mid‑Apr–early May (TBC) | — | (140th) mid‑Oct–early Nov (TBC) | — | — | (141st) mid‑Apr–early May (TBC) | — |
| Global Sources HK (AWE) | 11–14; 18–21; 27–30 | — | — | Apr (TBC) | — | Oct (TBC) | — | — | Apr (TBC) | — |
| HKTDC Electronics (HKCEC) | 13–16 | — | — | 13–16 Apr 2026 | — | Oct 2026 (TBC) | — | — | Apr 2027 (TBC) | — |
| Yiwu Fair (Yiwu IEC) | 21–24 | — | — | — | — | Oct 2026 (TBC) | — | — | — | — |
| East China Fair (SNIEC, SH) | — | — | 1–4 Mar 2026 | — | — | — | — | Mar 2027 (TBC) | — | — |
| CIIE (NECC, SH) | — | 5–10 (Shanghai) | — | — | — | — | Nov 2026 (TBC) | — | — | — |
Sources:
Canton Fair: official schedule; HKTDC: fair‑at‑a‑glance pages; Global Sources AWE; Yiwu: organiser/guide; ECF: organiser; CIIE: ciie.org
Programme scale (137th): Organiser communications indicate 1000+ trade promotion activities over the session, including ~18 conferences & forums, ~400 new‑product collection events, 590+ ‘Trade Bridge’ matchmaking events, and design‑led showcases (CF Award; PDC). The International Pavilion hosted 700+ exhibitors (phase‑specific) from ~50 countries.
Themes & alignment:
Buyer pull: The mix attracts retail, marketplace sellers, distributors, and project buyers. Gaps: deeper category‑specific specifier content (e.g., construction/building codes by region) and market access clinics for EU/UK (EPR/CBAM) and Americas (UL/NTC).
Sources:
Content & matchmaking volume: PR & organiser posts (e.g., https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/137th-canton-fair-to-open-april-15-with-record-export-exhibitor-turnout-and-new-thematic-zones-debut-302426441.html ; Trade Bridge: https://cief.cantonfair.org.cn/en/buyer/tradebridge.aspx ).
CF Award / PDC: https://cief.cantonfair.org.cn/en/cf/index.aspx ; https://en.pdc.org.cn/
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
| --- | --- |
| • Scale & breadth (1.55m sqm; ~74k booths; ~31k exhibitors) drive unrivalled product discovery and trip ROI. | • Complex navigation for first‑time buyers across phases/areas; discovery friction vs. focused vertical shows. |
| • International pull: 288,938 overseas buyers (137th), 219 countries/regions. | • Perception headwinds in some Western markets amid tariff/trade tensions; buyer mix skews to EMs. |
| • Year‑round digital (online platform, app, Trade Bridge) sustaining leads → orders post‑show. | • Overlap with Hong Kong shows compresses buyer time; electronics/gifts categories face split‑trip risk. |
| • Strong institutional backing (MOFCOM/Guangdong; on‑site IPR & dispute resolution). | • Limited published KPIs on exhibitor lead quality/conversion by sector; harder to prove ROI for some categories. |
| Opportunities | Threats |
| --- | --- |
| • Curate specifiers/hosted buyers from EU/MENA/LatAm to diversify demand away from US tariff swings. | • Trade/tariff volatility reduces US/EU buyer presence and order certainty. |
| • Expand service robotics / smart manufacturing and ESG/compliance‑ready pavilions to meet regulatory shifts. | • Calendar congestion with HKTDC/Global Sources and domestic fairs (Yiwu/ECF) fragments attendance. |
| • 365 content & data products (supplier audits, escrow, credit, logistics) to lift conversion. | • Macroeconomic slowdowns and FX constraints in emerging markets. |
Sources: performance/dates as cited; trade‑tension context from mainstream coverage.
Observed/declared components
Sources:
App: https://cief.cantonfair.org.cn/en/app/appintro.html ; Google Play listing
Online platform & dates: organiser buyer guides (PDF)
Trade Bridge: https://cief.cantonfair.org.cn/en/buyer/tradebridge.aspx and PDF briefs
IPR/Dispute & badge systems: organiser manuals (PDF)
| Initiative | Rationale | Owner | Effort (1–5) | Impact (1–5) |
| --- | --- | --- | :---: | :---: |
| Hosted Buyer Expansion (EU/MENA/LatAm) | Diversify demand vs. US tariffs; raise conversion in growth markets; leverage consulates/chambers. | Buyer Marketing + Intl Relations | 3 | 5 |
| Specifiers Programme (Building/Hardware/Lighting) | Guided tours, code‑compliance clinics; increase qualified leads & average order size. | Content + Key Accounts | 3 | 4 |
| Service Robotics & Smart Manufacturing Hub | Build on pilot interest; differentiate vs HK shows; attract integrators/distributors. | Show Team (Phase 1) | 2 | 4 |
| ESG/Compliance‑Ready Pavilion | Solve EU/UK/EPR/CBAM pain; pre‑vetted suppliers; partner with T&C labs & schemes. | Partnerships + Ops | 3 | 5 |
| Marketplace Sellers Track (Amazon/Lazada/Mercado Libre) | High‑velocity buyers; education + private‑label clinics; increases PoS orders. | Content + Digital | 2 | 4 |
| 365 Data Products (supplier audits, credit, escrow) | Monetise platform; improve trust & repeat business; derisk cross‑border. | Digital Product | 4 | 4 |
| Calendar & Route Optimisation Tools | Help buyers plan Canton+HK/ECF routes; retain time share; reduce friction. | Digital + Marketing | 2 | 3 |
| Sector‑specific Hosted Matchmaking (Trade Bridge+) | Tie online RFQs to hosted meetings; measurable deal pipeline. | Trade Bridge | 3 | 4 |
| Lead Quality Dashboards for Exhibitors | Transparent ROI; retention lever; upsell data packages. | Digital + Sales | 3 | 4 |
Sources: informed by sections 1–8 and organiser announcements cited above.
Canton Fair remains China’s premier multi‑sector export marketplace, with unmatched breadth and an increasingly diversified international buyer base. The past four sessions show robust recovery and growth in overseas buyers (CAGR ~13.5%), culminating in a record 288,938 buyers at the 137th session. With 1.55m sqm and ~74k booths, the platform delivers discovery efficiency that regional shows struggle to match.
Competitive pressure is real around the October window: Global Sources and HKTDC split electronics/gifts traffic, while Yiwu and ECF contest small commodities and textiles/home respectively. The fair’s differentiators—industrial categories, compliance support, year‑round Trade Bridge, and design/ODM programs—should be doubled‑down to preserve buyer time‑share and exhibitor ROI.
Macro headwinds (tariffs, slower Western demand) argue for geographic diversification of hosted buyers and for compliance‑ready, smart/low‑carbon supply showcases. Near‑term wins lie in: enriched specifier content, service robotics scaling, and 365 data products that convert leads to orders post‑show. Medium‑term, better lead/ROI transparency will retain and upscale exhibitors across phases.
Executed together, these moves sustain leadership while improving the quality and measurability of outcomes for both sides of the marketplace.
Contact & Next Steps
For deeper application to your objectives (sector targeting, hosted buyer programs, revenue design, 365 product build, data/AI enablement), contact Barış Onay — baris@barisonay.com • https://barisonay.com
Disclaimer: This analysis relies on publicly available information and may contain errors or omissions.
Export: If you’d like, I can export this report to clean HTML (light background) and provide CSV/Excel for the tables.