The 138th China Import and Export Fair, better known as the Canton Fair, opened this week in Guangzhou, marking a new chapter in the evolution of one of the world’s largest trade gatherings. With over 32,000 exhibitors and a record 240,000 pre-registered buyers from 218 markets, this year’s fair underscores how technology and innovation are reshaping China’s export landscape—and, increasingly, the trading dynamics of its global partners.

For nearly seven decades, the Canton Fair has been regarded as a reliable barometer of China's foreign trade. Yet the 138th edition, held from October 15 to November 4, suggests the event has become something more: a window into how industrial innovation and cross-border supply chains are converging.

Over 1 million newly developed products will be showcased this season, with around 800,000 making their global debut. Notably, over 10,000 exhibitors hold national recognition as high-tech or “Little Giant” enterprises—firms known for deep specialization and strong R&D capabilities. Such concentration of innovative output offers foreign importers and investment managers a useful signal: the upgrading of China's manufacturing base is no longer incremental, but structural.

Buyers from the European Union, the United States, and Belt and Road economies have increased significantly, reflecting a diversification of sourcing interests amid shifting global supply chains. The presence of more than 400 multinational purchasing companies reinforces the fair's role as a nexus where global demand meets technological adaptation.

Perhaps the clearest sign of transformation lies in the prominence of smart technologies. The fair's debut smart medical zone, hosting 47 companies, highlights emerging opportunities in health-tech collaboration—from surgical robots and intelligent monitoring systems to wearable devices aimed at global healthcare integration.

Alongside this, the service robot zone has become a magnet for international buyers seeking practical applications of artificial intelligence. The diversity of robotics—from humanoid assistants to robotic arms capable of precise assembly—illustrates a sector that is moving from demonstration to deployment.

For foreign distributors and technology scouts, this evolution suggests that Chinese industrial exhibitors are no longer competing primarily on price or scale, but increasingly on capability, reliability, and design sophistication.

Beyond the displays, the Canton Fair functions as a living ledger of global trade sentiment. Exporters are exploring niche markets, while international buyers are recalibrating sourcing strategies in response to logistics realignments and sustainability targets.

In conversations with exhibitors, a recurring theme emerges: a stronger focus on localized product development. For instance, major appliance makers such as Gree Electric Appliances are tailoring models for high-temperature markets in the Middle East and energy-efficient applications in Europe. Their approach reflects a wider trend of customized manufacturing, where adaptability replaces uniformity as the defining strength.

Similarly, the rise of firms specializing in precision automation and healthcare technology underscores the Fair's expanding relevance beyond traditional consumer goods. For investors, this diversification signals a deeper industrial base that can sustain partnerships in advanced manufacturing and technology transfer.