China’s Canton Fair, barometer of foreign trade, shows US, EU buyers may lose interest

Exporters see emerging markets becoming more important to Chinese businesses, despite smaller profit margins and increased payment risks

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The Canton Fair is generally seen as a barometer of China’s foreign trade. It is divided into three phases to attract different types of buyers. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 9:00pm, 23 Oct 2024Updated: 5:11pm, 24 Oct 2024

When the autumn edition of China’s oldest and largest trade fair opened its doors last week, many Chinese exporters could not help but notice that Europeans and North Americans were less represented among the bustle of buyers at the twice-yearly event.

As such, there are simmering concerns that orders could fall short of the exporters’ expectations – and well shy of what was seen during the April session – over the span of the 136th China Import and Export Fair, commonly known as the Canton Fair, which wraps up on November 4.

Some also expressed frustration at the shrinking numbers of buyers from Russia and affluent regions of the Middle East.

“There are fewer buyers than in the April session,” said Joan Liang, sales manager of Guangdong Roule Electronics, which makes doorbells, solar lights and cameras. “Customers’ willingness to purchase doesn’t seem as strong as we had anticipated.”

Despite having invited Middle Eastern customers from Saudi Arabia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Dubai, Liang said many failed to appear at the company’s booth, and she speculated that geopolitical conflicts in the region might be affecting their participation in the widely watched event.

The Canton Fair is generally seen as a barometer of China’s foreign trade. It is divided into three phases to attract different types of buyers.