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Highlights of the 129th China Import and Export Fair

(People's Daily Online) 13:40, April 19, 2021

The 129th China Import and Export Fair, or the Canton Fair, kicked off online on April 15. For the sake of ensuring COVID-19 prevention and control, nearly 26,000 exhibitors at home and abroad demonstrated their products via photos, videos, 3D displays, virtual reality (VR), and other formats, ushering in a great opportunity for global purchasers to seek renewed economic and trade cooperation.

An employee with Guangzhou Light Holdings Limited (GZLI) introduces the company's products via live-streaming during the 129th China Import and Export Fair, April 15. (Photo/Xinhua)

It is the third such time that the fair has been held online following two virtual events held in June and October last year. Sun Xue, operations manager with the Hebei United Energy Tech Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of insulation materials, has participated in the three online sessions held during the event and was impressed by how the hosts of the fair endeavored to help companies readapt to the online exhibition model.

"The organizers of the fair have taught us how to display the products via videos, VR, and other technological means, and effectively helped us with contacting customers from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and South America," Sun said.

A salesperson with a company in Rongjiang county, southwest China's Guizhou province, shows the company's rattan products during the 129th China Import and Export Fair, which kicked off online on April 15. (Photo by Wang Bingzhen/People's Daily)

The 10-day event has set up 50 separate exhibition sections for products in 16 categories, including electronics and household electrical appliances, machinery, building materials, consumer goods, home decorations as well as textiles and garments. About 60,000 exhibition booths have been prepared for participants.

So far, exhibitors have submitted over 2.7 million product items, 230,000 more than the number for the previous session of the Canton Fair, hitting a new record high.

About 820,000 new products will be displayed during the event, 90,000 more than the last session.

Xu Bing, a spokesperson for the fair, pointed out that organizers of the event will hold 137 new product releases for 85 leading companies via photos, videos, 3D displays and virtual reality (VR) technologies. These relatively more diversified online exhibition formats are expected to provide a better overall experience for purchasers, Xu said.

Based on previous experience, the latest session held during the event has further optimized online exhibition platforms to make it easier for purchasers to negotiate with potential suppliers, according to Xu.

He explained that the fair has invited nearly 90 professional design institutions from 12 countries and regions to develop online platforms for product demonstrations and exchanges of information, having arranged over 300 rounds of training in various languages for global purchasers so that they can make good use of the online platforms.

"The online platforms for the fair have become more interaction-friendly and can generate a 3D viewing experience for participants. With live-streaming functions, the online platforms allow exhibitors to showcase their products in an all-round manner, while providing better communication with purchasers, thus leading to the conclusion of more deals," said Liu Xiaowei, manager of foreign trade with a domestic exhibitor at the event.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)

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