Summary
The second phase of the 140th Canton Fair opened on 23 October, drawing crowds of buyers. The first phase, themed 'Advanced Manufacturing', featured over 12,000 exhibitors, including more than 6,000 high-quality enterprises such as specialised and innovative firms and single-item champions. It showcased 128,000 new products, 67,000 AI products and 202,000 green products, up 6.7 percent, 20.5 percent and 13.5 percent respectively from the previous session.
The second phase, themed 'Quality Home Life', brings together over 3,600 quality enterprises. The ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE) will run from 5 to 10 November, with preparations essentially complete. Xiao Lu, deputy secretary of the CIIE Bureau, said more than 200 representative global debut products will be featured, including a split-type endoscopic surgical robot, a cochlear implant capable of 360-degree sound detection and a 6G terminal prototype.
Exhibitors are using the platforms to seize opportunities: Taihe Intelligent displayed its latest AI colour sorter and received strong enquiries; Huang Shanyan, president of lululemon China and Asia-Pacific, said the CIIE is an important platform for deepening connections, and the company opened a Wuhan logistics centre in September; Liu Lipeng, China head of New Zealand oral care brand Grin, said the CIIE dividend offers a clear growth path, and the company is expanding its Shanghai office, bringing in a localised management team and formulating a five-year development plan for 2026–2030; Zhang Yan, lead representative of New Zealand premium honey brand HAUORA, said China is one of its core markets and the company will deepen localised services and channel expansion into lower-tier markets. Lian Ping, chairman of the China Chief Economist Forum, believes China's exports are highly resilient, with mechanical and electrical products and high-tech products accounting for over 60 percent and nearly 30 percent of exports respectively. In the first three quarters of this year, China's goods imports reached RMB16.74 trillion, up 22.3 percent year on year.
Commentary
The back-to-back staging of the Canton Fair and the CIIE underscores China's pivotal role in global trade. For New Zealand SMEs, these two major exhibitions are not only showcases but also key springboards into the Chinese market. At the Canton Fair, for instance, more than 6,000 specialised and innovative enterprises exhibited in the first phase, and AI products rose 20.5 percent, reflecting the shift of Chinese manufacturing towards higher value-added production.
New Zealand businesses that rely solely on traditional agricultural exports may struggle to continue sharing in the growth dividend. At the CIIE, more than 200 global debut products span frontier fields such as healthcare and 6G, while New Zealand exhibitors such as Grin and HAUORA are focused on health consumption, aligning with China's consumption upgrading trend. Notably, China's imports grew 22.3 percent in the first three quarters, with mechanical and electrical products and high-tech products accounting for nearly 30 percent, indicating that the import structure is also improving.
New Zealand SMEs should note two points. First, use the CIIE platform to test product acceptance, as Grin did by clarifying its five-year plan through participation and concentrating head-office functions in Shanghai. Second, use the Canton Fair to meet Chinese manufacturers and explore supply chain cooperation or technology introduction; for example, equipment such as AI colour sorters can improve agricultural processing efficiency.
However, competition is intense, with rivals such as Australia also making strong efforts. New Zealand companies need to build barriers in niche areas, as HAUORA emphasises localised services and channel expansion into lower-tier markets rather than relying solely on brand storytelling. The certainty of the Chinese market comes from continued opening-up policies, but success depends on whether companies can convert exhibition traffic into long-term channels.
Keywords: Canton Fair, CIIE, trade opportunities, exhibitors, global debuts, import scale, two-way opening, New Zealand brands
AI illustration on MiDeer Observer
Disclaimer: This article is compiled from publicly available sources for general information only. The analysis and commentary are editorial opinions. MiDeer Observer does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided. Readers should seek independent professional advice before relying on this content, or contact us for more information.
