At 9:00 on the 15th, the Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center near the the Pearl River was crowded with people. In the service robot exhibition area of the Friendship Hall of the Center, many foreign buyers hold up their phones and take pictures of robot dogs, industrial exoskeleton equipment, automatic cruise robots, coffee robots, etc., occasionally exclaiming in amazement. The 137th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair), which opened on the same day, had approximately 31000 participating companies, with the export exhibition exceeding 30000 for the first time, attracting over 200000 overseas buyers to pre register. The Canton Fair, also known as the "First Exhibition in China", is the longest and largest comprehensive international trade event in Chinese history. Recently, multiple international organizations and economic and trade experts have stated that the global trade order is facing severe challenges, which may slow down the process of global economic recovery. In the current turbulent international trade situation, the massive two-way rush of exhibitors and buyers at the Canton Fair fully reflects the resilience and confidence of China's foreign trade. This year's Canton Fair will be held in three phases from April 15th to May 5th, with the themes of "Advanced Manufacturing," "Quality Home Furnishings," and "Better Life," with a total of 55 exhibition areas and 172 product zones. According to data from the China Foreign Trade Center, the 137th Canton Fair has more than 9700 participating companies with titles such as National High tech, Specialized and Innovative Little Giant, and Manufacturing Single Champion, an increase of 20% compared to the previous edition. The central air conditioning with "cold air not blowing directly, hot air warming the whole body", the new generation II heat pump washing machine that can enjoy dry cleaning services at home, and the full range fresh 2.0 refrigerator equipped with broadband compressor and variable frequency control technology... Zhuhai Gree Electric Appliance Co., Ltd.'s booth is full of new products. Guo Yanhu, Assistant Director of the Communication Center of the company, said that Gree Electric Appliances has upgraded its dual wheel drive through green technology innovation and AI intelligence, providing users with efficient, intelligent, and low-carbon solutions. By 2024, its products will be sold to more than 190 countries and regions, with independent brands accounting for 70% of the total export value. Haier Overseas Electrical Appliance Industry Co., Ltd. not only invited a large number of old customers, but also welcomed new customers from Türkiye, Uzbekistan and other countries at the Canton Fair. The Vice President of the company, Zhang Qingfu, said, "With the Canton Fair as an international platform, we can not only negotiate cooperation with old customers, facilitate more transactions, but also explore more new customers, communicate more with excellent suppliers and buyers, expand cooperation space, and achieve the expansion of our 'circle of friends'. The Canton Fair, where thousands of merchants gather, has long been regarded as a barometer and indicator of China's foreign trade. As of April 13th, over 200000 overseas buyers from 215 countries and regions have pre registered for this year's Canton Fair; 255 large businesses including Wal Mart and Target in the United States, Carrefour and Andaho in France, Tesco and Cuifeng in the United Kingdom, Metro AG and Reifer in Germany confirmed to attend the conference. From indicators such as pre registration volume of overseas buyers, hotel booking volume, and flight booking rate, it is expected that the 137th Canton Fair will continue to maintain a stable and high-quality trend of overseas buyers attending Zhang Sihong, Deputy Director of China Foreign Trade Center, said. The Industrial Union of Goias State in Brazil, which has over 20000 members in the industrial and commercial sector, organized a delegation of Brazilian entrepreneurs and institutions to participate in this year's Canton Fair. The Canton Fair has always been an important driving force for global trade, "said Andr é Rocha, President of the Industrial Union of Goias State, Brazil." Here, we will learn about and be exposed to major global development trends, cutting-edge technologies, and solutions that can effectively promote industrial development. "Just one day before the opening of the Canton Fair, the General Administration of Customs released the first quarter report on foreign trade, showing that the total import and export value of China's goods trade in the first quarter of 2025 was 10.3 trillion yuan. Despite increasing external difficulties and challenges, China's foreign trade resilience has not diminished, achieving a stable start to the first quarter with a year-on-year growth of 1.3%. Now, the Canton Fair has arrived as scheduled with a more open attitude, sending a strong signal to the world that China is determined to expand its openness and share development opportunities with countries around the world. Zheng Xiaosong, General Manager of Overseas Marketing at Skyworth Electric Co., Ltd. International Marketing Department, told reporters that the company's overseas marketing team has been entering the busy "Canton Fair time" since early April, with buyers coming to visit factories and negotiate cooperation in advance every day. Zhang Sihong said that the gathering of global purchasers at the Canton Fair fully reflects the trust of the global business community in the Canton Fair and the trust in Chinese manufacturing. It also shows that people around the world will not change their yearning for a better life and their pursuit of quality and price of products, and the trend of economic globalization will not change. (New Society)