Correspondent丨Canton Fair shares “Innovation in China” with the world

Stephanie: Hello! Welcome to this edition of CBN Correspondent. I’m Stephanie Li.In the lively springtime of Guangzhou, the 137th Canton Fair, the world's biggest trade event, opened its doors to welcome global buyers.  While the United States tries to create a new trade order that is exclusively beneficial to itself with its so-called “reciprocal tariffs,” more than 31,000 enterprises are participating the biannual event, with over 4,200 new faces in the mix. The export exhibition alone boasts nearly 73,000 booths, and for the very first time, the number of exhibitors has soared past 30,000.What's more, the exhibition layout has become far more diversified. Newly-added zones such as the service robot zone and integrated housing zone have injected fresh energy into the fair.Our correspondents, Sharon, is joining us with firsthand observations today. She's been covering the Canton Fair for three years in a row. As we all know, the US' so - called "reciprocal tariffs" are casting a shadow over global trade. How are Chinese exporters at the fair navigating through this tough situation?Sharon: From my on-the-ground observation, Chinese exporters are displaying incredible resourcefulness. A great number of them are placing a strong emphasis on product innovation. Take the "new trio,” namely new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products, for instance. There are a plethora of state-of-the-art exhibits in these sectors. Besides, they're actively seeking out new markets. Instead of being overly reliant on traditional Western markets, they're exploring emerging economies in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, opening up new channels for growth.Some companies have even adjusted their supply chain strategies. They're setting up factories overseas to avoid the impact of tariffs.Take a company in Dongguan as an example, they've transferred part of their production to Southeast Asia, while still maintaining close cooperation with Chinese suppliers for raw materials.Stephanie: What about the foreign buyers? Are they still as enthusiastic about the Canton Fair and "Made in China" products?Sharon: Absolutely! There are over 200,000 pre-registered overseas buyers hailing from 215 countries and regions.At the service robot zone, I saw many foreign purchasers snapping pictures of robotic dogs and industrial exoskeleton equipment with great excitement.A buyer from Australia told me that he was really impressed by the high tech products at the fair, like the service robots. He believed these products had great potential in the Australian market.And it's not just the high-tech products. Here, products featuring the latest technology, unique designs, and innovative solutions are on display, with product lines catering to diverse purchasers. Buyers now not only consider product prices but also care about product novelty, the new technologies incorporated, and the novel functions offered.In the fiercely competitive domestic environment, Chinese manufacturing has sped up technological upgrades, leaving global competitors far behind. Enterprise R&D and product-driven strategies have become the core driving force for "Made in China" to succeed globally.Stephanie: Thank you, Sharon, for sharing these invaluable insights. Indeed, the Canton Fair serves as a vivid portrayal of the resilience of China's foreign trade.For years, in the narrative of Western media, "Made in China" was commonly linked to affordability. There was a lopsided perception that "Chinese enterprises depend on the US market for survival, rather than the US market relying on Chinese goods". This misguided view provided the pretext for the US to impose tariffs recklessly and initiate trade wars. However, the market is now dispelling this false belief.Take, for instance, IShowSpeed, the American YouTuber with 38 million followers, has wrapped up his Chinese odyssey, livestreaming the unedited, authentic China to the world using 5G network on China-built bullet train, experiencing flying car in Shenzhen and taking home three Huawei smartphones. At a time when the US administration's bullying and threats are creating increasing uncertainty, the Canton Fair is being widely viewed as a "barometer" of China's continued commitment to opening-up and its willingness to share its development opportunities with the world.Forty-plus years ago, when China launched its reform and opening-up policy, the event was mainly a market for foreign buyers to purchase agricultural produce, handicrafts and local specialties, and a window for the Chinese to see the outside world.Now it has become a major platform displaying not only "Made in China" but "Innovation in China”, attracting countless companies to access the Chinese market.Highlighting this transformation, the event this year has for the first time set up a service robot zone, reflecting the new pulse of the industry. Notably, the number of enterprises with titles such as national high-tech, specialized and new "little giants", and manufacturing champions in their respective niche exceeds 9,700, an increase of 20 percent over the previous event.It is this spirit that has not only enabled the phenomenal rise of new kids on the tech-block, such as DeepSeek, but also generated an insatiable industrial and market yearning for collaboration and openness as a means to innovations.The key message sent by the trade event is that openness and cooperation are the general trend, and the nation will never cease its endeavor to advance in technological development. Amid external uncertainties, China will stick to joining hands rather than shaking fist, dismantling barriers rather than erecting walls, and fostering connectivity instead of decoupling.