The 140th Canton Fair attracted a record 352,000 overseas buyers from 219 countries and regions, while intended export transactions reached US$26.75 billion during the three-phase sourcing event in Guangzhou.
The 140th China Import and Export Fair, commonly known as the Canton Fair, concluded on 4 November 2026 after running for three phases at the Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou.
Overseas buyer attendance increased by 12.2% from the previous session, according to the China Foreign Trade Centre. More than 75% of international attendees were classified as professional buyers, and 502 major international sourcing companies participated.
The results reinforce the Canton Fair’s continuing importance as a meeting point between Chinese manufacturers and international importers, retailers, distributors and industrial procurement teams.
Intended transactions rise to US$26.75 billion
Exhibitors reported US$26.75 billion in intended export transactions agreed or discussed onsite.
This represents an increase of approximately 4.1% from the US$25.7 billion reported at the 139th Canton Fair in spring 2026.
However, intended transaction value should not be interpreted as completed export sales. The figure can include letters of intent, preliminary agreements and orders still subject to sampling, pricing, certification, contract negotiations or final buyer approval.
The growth in intended transactions was therefore slower than the 12.2% increase in overseas buyer attendance. This may indicate that the fair attracted more visitors and generated a broader pipeline of potential business, while average intended transaction value per overseas attendee was lower.
Using the published headline figures, intended transactions equalled approximately US$76,000 per overseas buyer, compared with around US$82,000 at the previous session. This is only a rough event-level indicator because the organiser does not publish how transaction value is distributed among buyers, exhibitors or product categories.
Overseas buyer attendance reaches a new record
The 352,000 overseas buyers came from 219 countries and regions.
Organisers reported particularly strong attendance growth from several important markets:
- European Union: up 38.2%
- United States: up 22.2%
- Belt and Road partner countries: up 16.6%
The final result substantially exceeded the more than 220,000 overseas buyers who had pre-registered before the Canton Fair opened. This demonstrates that advance registration figures provide only an early indication of demand and do not represent final onsite attendance.
More than 32,000 exhibitors present 4.88 million products
The 140th session brought together more than 32,000 exhibiting companies and approximately 4.88 million products across three separate sourcing phases.
The fair’s product structure covered most major areas of China’s export economy:
- Electronics and household appliances
- Industrial machinery and automation
- Vehicles, automotive parts and mobility
- New energy and electrical products
- Hardware and tools
- Building materials and furniture
- Housewares, ceramics, gifts and decorations
- Clothing, textiles, footwear and bags
- Food and personal-care products
- Medical devices and healthcare products
- Toys, baby products and pet supplies
Nearly 20% of participating companies were reportedly engaged in outbound investment, while 36.5% offered combined product-and-service solutions.
For international buyers, this shift is important. Chinese suppliers are increasingly competing through engineering, product development, customisation, installation, digital services and after-sales support rather than relying exclusively on manufacturing cost.
More AI products and new-product launches
The number of products classified by the organiser as new increased by 8%, while the number of AI-powered products rose by 14.1%.
More than 700 New Collection events were held during the session. These included product presentations, themed launches and demonstrations intended to give new exhibits greater visibility.
The fair also introduced dedicated display areas for new products, intelligent healthcare and design innovation.
For sourcing teams, these areas can make it easier to identify developing product categories. Buyers should nevertheless distinguish between:
- Products already in mass production
- Commercial products awaiting export certification
- Pre-production samples
- Technology demonstrations
- Concept products not yet available for orders
Before adding a newly launched product to a sourcing shortlist, buyers should confirm production status, minimum order quantity, tooling requirements, lead time, export certification and intellectual-property ownership.
Green products account for 26% of exhibits
Environmental performance remained another major theme.
According to the organiser:
- 43.1% of exhibitors had adopted green production practices
- Products with environmental attributes represented 26% of exhibits
- Six of the fair’s 18 future-industry zones focused on areas related to new energy, including photovoltaic and wind-energy technologies
These figures indicate that manufacturers are placing greater emphasis on energy efficiency, lower-carbon production and environmentally positioned products.
However, “green” can cover a wide range of attributes. Buyers should request evidence supporting environmental claims, including test reports, material declarations, energy-consumption data, recycled-content documentation and certification relevant to the destination market.
A product’s presence in a green exhibition area should not be treated as independent certification.
Buyers Alliance reaches 160,000 participants
The 140th edition introduced the Canton Fair Buyers Alliance and a membership programme intended to encourage continued engagement from overseas visitors.
The organiser said approximately 160,000 buyers participated in membership-related activities. More than 700 launch events and seven thematic forums collectively generated 615,000 online and offline participations.
These figures appear to measure participation in activities rather than necessarily unique individuals. Nevertheless, the programme illustrates how the Canton Fair is developing beyond a twice-yearly physical exhibition.
A permanent buyer network could help the fair maintain contact with international procurement professionals, promote exhibitors between sessions and improve supplier recommendations based on buyer interests.
Its long-term value will depend on the quality of buyer data, relevance of recommendations and availability of practical services such as appointment scheduling, matchmaking and supplier follow-up.
What the results mean for international buyers
The record attendance gives buyers access to an exceptionally large supplier base, but scale also makes preparation essential.
A visitor arriving without a clear sourcing plan can spend considerable time walking through halls that are unrelated to their requirements. Buyers should select the correct phase, identify suppliers in advance and arrange priority meetings before travelling.
A practical supplier assessment should cover:
- Whether the exhibitor is a manufacturer or trading company
- Main export markets and customer profile
- Minimum order quantities
- Pricing at different order volumes
- Production and sample lead times
- Product and factory certifications
- Customisation and private-label capabilities
- Quality-control procedures
- Warranty and after-sales support
- Payment terms and delivery conditions
The fair can help buyers discover suppliers and begin negotiations, but factory audits, product testing, document verification and sample approval should still take place before substantial orders are placed.
141st Canton Fair scheduled for spring 2027
The 141st Canton Fair is scheduled to run from 15 April to 5 May 2027 at the Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou.
Official commerce-department notices list the following phases:
| Phase | Dates | Expected sourcing focus |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 15–19 April 2027 | Electronics, machinery, vehicles, new energy, industrial products, hardware and tools |
| Phase 2 | 23–27 April 2027 | Housewares, furniture, building materials, ceramics, gifts and decorations |
| Phase 3 | 1–5 May 2027 | Fashion, textiles, food, healthcare, toys, baby products, personal care and recreation |
The event is expected to retain 54 exhibition sections, although buyers should check the final product allocation before booking travel.
Companies considering the spring session can explore the China trade-show calendar to compare the Canton Fair with other sourcing and industrial exhibitions taking place in China during 2027.
The 140th session’s results demonstrate the Canton Fair’s exceptional reach. The more important question for an individual buyer is not how many companies attend, but whether careful preparation can turn that scale into a manageable shortlist of qualified suppliers.
