Spring Canton Fair Phase II

The second phase of the 137th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) in 2025 was successfully held from April 23 to 27, 2025, at the Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou. This edition of the fair was themed “Quality Home,” serving as the annual flagship event for the entire home‑related industry chain.

In terms of scale, the second offline phase featured a total exhibition area of 515,000 square meters, with 24,735 booths and 10,313 participating enterprises—273 more than the previous session. The import section welcomed 262 companies from 29 countries and regions, including 179 enterprises from 19 Belt and Road partner nations, accounting for approximately 68%. As of April 27, a record-breaking 224,372 overseas buyers from 219 countries and regions had attended, marking the highest figure for the same period in history.

This year’s fair further emphasized the “whole‑home” concept, organizing three major sectors—household goods, gifts & décor, and building materials & furniture—into 15 distinct exhibition zones. The building materials and furniture sector occupied over 140,000 square meters, featuring 6,497 booths and 3,192 exhibitors. For the first time, a dedicated integrated housing zone was established, showcasing mobile homes, modular structures, and other innovative products. The fair’s layout not only facilitates industry networking but also enhances procurement efficiency, fully meeting the one‑stop sourcing needs of home‑related buyers.

Ceramic and home‑furnishings companies are accelerating their transformation toward intelligent manufacturing. Songfa Ceramics is speeding up its shift from traditional manufacturing to smart production, introducing advanced equipment to drive automation and digitalization. Sitong Group has launched a ceramic recycling initiative and implemented smart upgrades to reduce energy consumption. Lingfeng Home Furnishings has commissioned more than ten automated production lines for stainless steel cookware and aluminum pots, deploying over 3,000 industrial robots.

A rich array of concurrent events has created a high‑level platform for industry dialogue. This edition of the Canton Fair hosted a total of 1,015 trade‑promotion activities, including 308 new‑product launch events—drawing over 4,000 on‑site buyers and more than 950,000 online viewers—676 “Trade Bridge” series events attracting over 3,900 participants, 10 “Haobao Hanni Explores the Canton Fair” sessions viewed by over 343,000 online audiences, and 14 industry forums drawing nearly 2,100 attendees. Seven cutting‑edge trend reports were also released. The inaugural “Timeless Brands Enter the Canton Fair” series became a popular highlight among international visitors, with over 50 signature products from renowned heritage brands receiving enthusiastic acclaim.

The buyer profile exhibits new characteristics, with emerging markets emerging as key growth drivers. Although some orders from European and North American markets have experienced volatility due to tariff impacts, the number of customers from the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Belt and Road countries has surged, accompanied by strong purchasing intent. At the Suzhou Huanmei Horticultural Technology booth, African buyer Rabo S Baba placed an order worth approximately US$200,000 in cash, demonstrating deep trust in Chinese suppliers. Syrian buyer Ayman sealed a multimillion‑dollar preliminary agreement on the spot with Kunshan Benrui Home Furnishings.

The fair’s outcomes and industry response have been overwhelmingly positive. Exhibiting companies widely agree that the Canton Fair is an indispensable global trade platform. A representative from Jinyitao noted that they have participated continuously for over 30 editions, during which they not only secured repeat orders from longstanding clients but also expanded their customer base. Meanwhile, the overseas sales manager of Liansu revealed that the opening day alone attracted numerous new and existing buyers, with several orders currently under negotiation. Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong emphasized that the fair’s robust attendance and lively business discussions vividly reflect the global business community’s confidence in China’s economic prospects, injecting a powerful boost into China’s foreign trade development. Attendees further underscored that the Canton Fair serves not only as a premier venue for brand promotion and commercial matchmaking but also as a critical hub for discerning industry trends and exploring pathways toward green, intelligent transformation, witnessing China’s remarkable evolution from “selling products” to “selling brands” and “selling designs.”