--By Acting Consul General Tang Chang'an, published on Cape Times, November 11.

    The 132nd China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) was held in an online-offline integrated model from October 15 to 24, with a record-breaking 3.31 million products on display to further its mission of “Canton Fair, Global Share".

Apart from the original 25 000 exhibiting companies of the virtual Canton Fair, 10 000 new exhibitors joined the event, including “little giant” companies that specialise in niche sectors, hi-tech companies and manufacturing single champions.

On the official website, 50 exhibition sections accommodated 16 product categories of the National Pavilion, and six themes of the International Pavilion. Cross-border E-commerce Pilot Zones and five cross-border e-commerce platforms continued to take part in Canton Fair’s activities to create a synergy of activities.

A “Rural Vitalization” zone was set up to help exhibitors from formerly poor regions develop international markets.Meanwhile, freight forwarding, finance, credit insurance, certification, overseas warehouse, and shipping services were also available.

Various measures were rolled out to guarantee the success of the event.For instance, the organiser stepped up efforts to invite professional buyers from top multinationals, retail chain cross-border e-commerce platforms and overseas chambers of commerce in China to attend the Fair.

Briefings of “Trade Bridge” tailored sourcing events were launched to further enhance the quality of professional buyers.The service duration was also extended to facilitate exhibitors and buyers: live-streaming and scheduling appointment lasted for 10 days during Canton Fair, while all other functions including online display, instant messaging, matchmaking etc. will continue to be available for months after the conclusion of the fair, running until March 15, 2023.

The Canton Fair was established in the spring of 1957. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of PRC and the People’s Government of Guangdong Province and organised by China Foreign Trade Centre, it is held every spring and autumn in Guangzhou, China.

The Canton Fair is an all-inclusive international trading event with the longest history.

Over the years, it has established trade relations with more than 220 countries and regions around the world. The accumulated export volume has amounted to about $1.5 trillion, and the total number of overseas buyers has reached nine million.The Canton Fair has effectively promoted trade connections and friendly exchanges between China and the world.

In the report delivered to the 20th national congress of the Communist Party of China, President Xi Jinping pointed out that China has advanced reform, opening-up and socialist modernisation, and has written a new chapter of miraculous fast economic growth and long-term social stability.

But contrary to some people’s speculation that China will now close its doors and halt economic reforms, its reform and opening-up will only be further deepened and widened.

The expanded and upgraded 132nd Canton Fair helped stabilise industrial and supply chains for China and the world and opened new horizons for the close trade relations between China and other countries, in particular South Africa.China has been South Africa’s largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years. In 2021, the total trade volume between China and South Africa reached $54.35bn, with a year-on-year growth of 50.7%, of which the value of imports from China was $21bn, accounting for 14% of all imports from China to Africa.A brighter future awaits the two countries, with abundant new opportunities presented by the Canton Fair.

For more details and feature services of the 132nd Canton Fair, visit the official website: https://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en-US.