U.S. Buyers Return as Canton Fair Hits Record Attendance
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An advertisement for U.S. customs clearing services at the booth of a freight handler at the Spring Canton Fair in Guangzhou on April 16, 2025. Photo: Bloomberg
A record number of overseas buyers attended the 138th Canton Fair, which concluded on Tuesday, with U.S. participation up 14% from the previous session despite ongoing trade tensions.
Established in 1957, the twice-yearly trade fair held in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou, is a big contributor to China’s exports, and widely viewed as an indicator of the country’s foreign trade.
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- The 138th Canton Fair saw record overseas attendance, with over 310,000 buyers from 223 countries, a 7.5% rise from the previous session.
- U.S. attendance increased by 14%, with intended export deals totaling $25.7 billion.
- Eased U.S.-China trade tensions and reduced tariffs have led American importers to shift orders back to China due to its higher manufacturing efficiency.
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Who’s Who
- Qingdao Shanhai Home Products Co. Ltd.
- Qingdao Shanhai Home Products Co. Ltd. manufactures home products. The CEO is Shang Jinsong. The company has a factory in China and another in Thailand. Production costs for the same water cup are about 20% higher in their Thai factory compared to their China plant. Many of their U.S. clients have moved most of their orders back to China due to cost comparisons.
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What Happened When
- 1957：
- The Canton Fair was established in Guangzhou, China.
- April 2025：
- The Trump administration raised tariffs on Chinese goods to as high as 125%.
- May to October 2025：
- The U.S. quietly rolled back tariffs on dozens of Chinese consumer goods to ease inflation pressures.
- Second half of 2025：
- Interest in rerouting supply chains through Southeast Asia began to wane.
- Late October 2025：
- The U.S. and China reached several economic agreements, including canceling a 10% 'fentanyl tariff' and China pausing rare earth export controls for one year through October 2026.
- 2025-11-04：
- The 138th Canton Fair concluded with record overseas attendance and an increase in U.S. participation.
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