Canton Fair Attendance Up 17% for Spring 2025 Session
China state news agency Xinhua reported that overseas attendance was up 17.3% for the Spring Session of the Canton Fair.
The Canton Fair happened this spring from April 15 to May 5, 2025 and is China's largest comprehensive trade exhibition, held biannually in Guangzhou. Officially known as the China Import and Export Fair, it showcases a wide range of products across industries including electronics, consumer goods, machinery, textiles, and more. It serves as a barometer of global trade trends and a critical gateway for Chinese exporters.
Related Reading: Guide to Visiting the Canton Fair
Attendance Strong Overall, but Weak from Western Buyers
Official stats said that there were 51,862 buyers from Europe, the United States, and Canada compared to 288,938 overseas visitors overall. This represented a 3.4% increase compared to the 135th session, however, it was still well short of the overall 17.3% increase.
However, the visits from Western buyers may be misleading as they represent both in-person attendance and virtual attendance.
Some suppliers at the Canton Fair reported “frozen markets” in the U.S. due to tariff uncertainty. “Goods cannot be exported and money cannot be collected. This is very severe,” said Candice Li, in an interview with the Financial Times. Another exhibitor, Kobe Huang from Shenzhen Landun Environmental Technology, noted that while European orders were stable, “the U.S. market is frozen. Clients are asking to hold on.”
Canton Fair is China's Largest Trade Exhibition
First held in 1957, the Canton Fair has evolved into the largest and most influential trade fair in China. It occurs every spring and autumn and is jointly hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of China and the Guangdong Provincial Government. The event is organized by the China Foreign Trade Centre and is widely considered a bellwether for global demand for Chinese goods.
The 137th edition of the fair in spring 2025 featured over 31,000 exhibitors and recorded $25.44 billion USD in total transaction volume. Despite geopolitical headwinds, particularly with the United States, the fair remains a vital hub for global sourcing and China’s export economy.
