Canton Fair Hits 1.55M Sqm at 70, Draws 12,000 Exhibitors
Beijing – October 15, 2026 -- The Canton Fair has grown from 9,600 square meters and 1,200 buyers in April 1957 to 1.55 million square meters and around 340,000 buyers, as the 140th edition opened on Wednesday with Phase 1 featuring more than 25,000 booths and over 12,000 exhibitors.
Xi and Li frame the fair as a vehicle for China's high-level opening-up
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 140th China Import and Export Fair, saying the event has promoted trade exchanges between China and other countries over its 70 years. Premier Li Qiang delivered the keynote at the opening ceremony. He said China will promote high-quality development, expand high-standard opening up and share more market opportunities with partners.