The Canton Fair is the largest and most prestigious exhibition in China. This event is held twice a year in Guangzhou, China. The exhibition attracts a large number of participants and offers a wide variety of products. It is a meeting point for thousands of exporters, manufacturers, and global consumers. Those involved in export-import, sourcing, and international trade can take advantage of this event to expand their business reach.
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Canton Fair 2025
The fair is held in two sessions, the spring session and the fall session. This 2025’s fall session will take place from October 15 to November 4, 2025, with three phases:
- Phase 1: October 15-19, 2025.
- Phase 2: October 23-27, 2025.
- Phase 3: October 31-November 4, 2025.
The event will be held at the China Import and Export Fair Complex (Pazhou Complex), Pazhou Island, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. Visitors can view the exhibition from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time.
Canton Fair 2026
How about the next Canton Fair? When is the Canton Fair 2026 schedule? The Canton Fair continues its long-standing schedule pattern, and the 2026 sessions have already been announced. The Spring Session will run in three phases: April 15–19, April 23–27, and May 1–5, 2026. The Autumn Session follows the same structure, taking place October 15–19, October 23–27, and October 31–November 4, 2026. Their consistent dates help businesses plan their sourcing trips well in advance, ensuring they can align production, travel, and meeting schedules.
What Opportunities are Available?
There are three phases in this exhibition based on product categories. Visitors can choose the relevant category.
- Phase 1: industrial products and machinery, electronics, vehicles, building materials, and energy.
- Phase 2: consumer goods, gifts, toys, home furnishings, and decorations.
- Phase 3: textiles, clothing, footwear, bags, health products, and office supplies.
During the exhibition, visitors can see thousands of exhibition booths from manufacturers and exporters from China and other countries. Visitors can even negotiate directly with suppliers to obtain product samples.
At this event, visitors have the opportunity to attend seminars and industry forums discussing product trends, technology, and global trade. As a result, this exhibition provides a great opportunity for all parties to build networks in various sectors with business players from various countries around the world.
For importers, distributors, sourcing agents, wholesalers, and even brand owners, the Canton Fair provides a golden opportunity. They can find new suppliers, see product quality firsthand, discover a number of options, and negotiate prices face-to-face. It’s no wonder that this event has become a barometer for Chinese exports and a major gateway to the Chinese and global markets.
Before attending the exhibition, visitors should research products that are relevant to their needs, set a schedule for visiting booths, and make sure to take full advantage of the event’s official app. Here are some important preparations for attending the exhibition.
- Registration and visitor badge. Visitors from outside China must register online and obtain a Buyer Badge.
- Visa to China. Do not forget to prepare an electronic invitation or documents from the organizer to ensure a smooth process.
- Transportation to the location. From Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, take the shuttle or metro to Pazhou Station (Line 8 or Line 11).
- Visit plan. For efficiency, download the location map, apply product category filters as needed, and schedule the main booths you want to visit, considering the vast exhibition area (over 1 million m²).
- On-site preparation. Wear comfortable clothes and footwear suitable for long walks. Do not forget to bring business cards, a portable charger, a notebook or device for photographing product booths, and drinking water.
The Pazhou Complex supports large events because it has very complete infrastructure, ranging from a metro stop directly to the location, shuttle buses from the airport or hotels, and facilities for international visitors such as translation services, rest rooms, and cafes. This place is located on an island that is easily accessible from central Guangzhou, with accommodations around the Haizhu district or downtown Guangzhou. Here, you can also find hotels to suit your budget.
Attending this exhibition will provide the following important benefits.
Efficient Sourcing
Visitors can review products from many manufacturers at once, saving time because they do not have to visit each manufacturer individually.
Direct Negotiations
Visitors can meet directly with suppliers, giving them the opportunity to get the best price quotes and relevant product specifications.
Visibility of Global Trends
By seeing the variety of products and innovations at the exhibition, visitors can see the trends that will affect the market in the coming year.
International Networking
Many business people from around the world attend this event, giving visitors the opportunity to develop new relationships that could potentially become long-term partners.
To get the most out of this event, do not miss the following important tips.
- Arrive early so you can move around more freely and find the best suppliers.
- Focus on 10-20 priority booths so you do not get confused.
- Save photos of business cards and booths for reference, then follow up after the exhibition.
- Take advantage of the official app for internal navigation, bookmarking products, and booths.
- Be prepared to negotiate and inquire about minimum order quantities, product quality, and certifications.
Final Note
The Canton Fair is more than just an exhibition. It serves as a global trade platform where business opportunities are discussed in real-time. This event can help businesses discover new opportunities. If you are serious about expanding your market or securing the best suppliers, do not miss this event. Are you ready to plan your next visit and capitalize on the business potential available?
At the Canton Fair, businesses discover opportunities, but success depends on what happens after sourcing. That’s right! Buying is easy, selling is the challenging part. That’s why at Shipazon, we built a fulfillment service focused on helping brands ship smoothly into the U.S. market. From product inspection to warehousing, prep, and fast U.S. delivery, our goal is simple: give every brand the operational backbone it needs to scale with confidence.
— Andre Ren, Co-Founder & Logistics Manager at Shipazon