Global traders swap stories at Canton Fair, highlighting partnership and innovation

GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from GDToday: 

A storytelling session titled "My Canton Fair Story" was held at the Canton Fair Convention Center on October 25, bringing together overseas buyers from the United States, UAE, Tunisia, and Chile with Chinese exhibitors from sectors such as rural revitalization and service robotics. Participants shared firsthand experiences of how the fair has helped connect businesses across borders.

The event was hosted by the China Foreign Trade Centre and the Information Office of the People's Government of Guangdong, and organized by South. Throughout the fair, the provincial English information platform INFO Guangdong set up a special online column offering exhibition updates, living guides, and services in multiple languages for international attendees.

From business to deep bonds

For Blidi Taoufik from Tunisia, who has attended 33 editions of the fair since 1995, the Canton Fair transcends mere business. He recalls that although he had learned some Chinese, there were still language barriers when he first arrived, so he and the Chinese suppliers ended up using calculators to negotiate prices, a tacit understanding he still cherishes. "Now I have many family friends from all over China," he said. "If there were no Canton Fair, we could not become rich and could not do business together."

Leo Chan, Executive Director of the Asia Chamber of America, noted that despite U.S.-China trade tensions, American firms still regard the Canton Fair as an important sourcing platform. "Most of our members actually do business with Asia, and I don't need to mention that some companies have started building factories right here in Guangdong," he said. For them, the Canton Fair is "business fundamentals," he added.

Patricia Barreiro, head of the Sodimac China office, made her first trip to the Canton Fair in 1998, traveling all the way from Chile despite the long journey and inconvenient transportation. "It's because of commerce," she said, "all of us have to come to an important country where we find the products." She added that, over the years, she has seen remarkable improvements in Chinese manufacturing standards.

Young entrepreneur Hussain S. Galadari from the United Arab Emirates, who is building a luxury e-commerce platform, believes that as the world becomes increasingly technological, today's challenge is innovation, regardless of age, gender, background, or nationality. When he first arrived at the fair in April this year, he was amazed by the "remarkable innovations" he encountered.

From manufacturing to "created in China"

On the exhibitor side, Chinese companies showcased their evolution from suppliers to innovators.

Sun Chuanjin, President of Funan Jinyuan Willow and Wood Crafts Co., Ltd., said the fair has helped present a modern image of China's rural revitalization. The willow-woven products from Funan County, Anhui Province, including those from Sun's company, are now exported to more than 50 countries and regions, with the sector generating $400 million in annual exports and creating jobs for over 120,000 local residents.

Hong Technology Co., Ltd. from Shenzhen, which exhibited in the fair's service robotics zone, highlighted its emphasis on co-creation with international clients in product design. General Manager Gao Bin shared an example of how they developed a robot for cleaning ductwork in central air conditioning systems in dusty environments. "The fair is also about providing solutions, not just selling products," Gao noted.

Since its debut at the Canton Fair in 1996, Guangdong Master Group Co., Ltd. has used the event to learn from leading technologies around the world, which later stimulated its transformation from an OEM manufacturer to an innovation-driven brand. Chief Executive Officer Liu Bingyao said the company's presence at the fair has grown from a "tiny booth" to 22 exhibition stands.

In another example of innovation, PHOMI MCM CO., LTD. developed a special light-display product "eDisplay Curtain" that appears like natural stone when the screen is off. The product went on to win the Canton Fair CF Gold Award. The idea originated when a foreign buyer asked whether stone could display images like an LED screen. "It sounded impossible at first, but we turned the concept into a market-ready product," said Andy Han, the company's Director and Executive General Manager.

SOURCE GDToday