Guide on the Canton Fair 2025

Attending trade fairs in China is a great opportunity to explore Chinese suppliers’ offers as well as form promising business relations. Every year in China, hundreds of trade shows are organized. Canton Fair, which takes place biannually, is both the biggest and the oldest event. The onsite exhibition attracts over 246,000 overseas buyers from 215 countries and regions. The surface area of the exhibition complex is up to 1.55 million square meters! If you want to attend such a trade show, you should prepare beforehand to make the most of the time spent there. 
Organized by the China Foreign Trade Center, this massive event is organized both offline and online. Moreover, both events are free of charge! The offline fair is divided into three phases, each lasting several days and focusing on different industries. For example, during the first phase, there are suppliers of electronics and machinery. In case you are interested in everyday goods, the right phase will be the second one. If you want to source clothes, the third phase is for you.
Official website: cantonfair.org.cn

When is the Canton Fair? 
The dates of the fair are the same every year.
Spring edition: April 15-19, 2025 / April 23-27, 2025 / May 1-5, 2025
Autumn edition: October 15-19, 2025 / October 23-27, 2025 / October 31-November 4, 2025
138th Canton Fair Autumn Edition 2025
Offline:
Phase 1, October 15-19: Electronics & Appliance, Manufacturing, Vehicles & Two Wheels, Light & Electrical, Hardware, International Pavilion
Phase 2, October 23-27: Houseware, Gift & Decorations, Building & Furniture, International Pavilion
Phase 3, October 31-November 4: Toys & Children, Baby and Maternity, Fashion, Home Textiles, Stationery, Health & Recreation, Traditional Chinese Specialties, International Pavilion
Canton Fair opening hours: 9:30 AM-6:00 PM

Where is the Canton Fair 2025?
Venue: China Import and Export Fair (Pazhou) Complex, Yuejiangzhong Road 382, Haizhu, Guangzhou
Chinese address: 中国广州市海珠区阅江中路382号、中国进出口商品交易会展馆
Online: The 138th Canton Fair online will be live from September 2025 to March 2026.
Canton Fair 2025 exhibitor list
Canton Fair, each edition houses over 25 thousand exhibitors. Check the catalog of exhibitors at the Canton Fair in thirteen categories and 55 sections: www.cantonfair.org.cn/en-US/customPages/exhibition
Canton Fair hall map
The Canton Fair ground is huge. Make sure to check out the following map before attending.

How to register for the Canton Fair 2025?
We have great news – registering for the Canton Fair is free! If you are a first-time guest, you have to get a Buyer’s Badge to attend on-site. If it is not your first edition, you can register for the event using your account.
1.Go to cantonfair.org.cn/en-US/register/index
2.Choose “Overseas Buyer” (if not based in Mainland China) 
3.Register and verify your email 
4.Pick one of the options: 
“I have a buyer badge” (if you already have the Buyer Badge) 
“I don’t have a buyer badge” (if you do not have the Buyer Badge)  
“log in” to log in to an existing account. 
5.If you don’t have a buyer badge, submit the completed form. 

After registration, you can:
browse the catalog of suppliers and products
watch live videos
and much more if you verify your e-mail address and complete your profile.
Once you are on-site, you can collect your ID badge at the counter. You have to bring a copy of the registration certificate and a passport photo.

Since the Canton Fair takes place at the same time every year, planning a trip in advance is very easy. It would be advised to book a flight ahead of time, especially because you can get the tickets for cheaper a few months before the trip. Considering the huge masses of people traveling to Guangzhou for the fair, you should not put off finding accommodation until the last minute. You should also check if your chosen hotel offers transportation to the place where the fair takes place. There are special buses (shuttle bus) from many hotels that ride to the exhibition center, making moving around much easier.

Don’t forget about a visa to China (if applicable). You can submit a visa application even a month earlier so that you can fulfill all the formalities stress-free. Visa applications may be submitted at Chinese consulates or Visa Application Service Centers. If you are required a invitation letter during the process, you can always count on our help with it. Guangzhou China-Latin, as a company established more than ten years ago in China, is able to issue an invitation letter to the customers who come to China with a business trip intention.

The first day at the fair is best spent walking around the stalls in your industry to see what potentially interests you. The large number of booths at the Canton Fair may be overwhelming, so it is a good practice to make an initial selection online, look at catalogs, and take notes and photos. After returning to the hotel, when you still remember the suppliers and the products and everything is still fresh in your memory, go through the materials again without rushing and update your notes. Do not put it off because, after a few days spent at the fair, everything will become vague.

While walking around the booths, you should also exchange business cards with Chinese suppliers. Chinese application WeChat is popular among Chinese as a communication method with potential partners. Therefore, you should download WeChat on your phone before attending Canton Fair.

Besides, we advise you to research the companies that caught your attention when you return to the hotel. Remember that you should not make important business decisions on the spot; instead, you should carefully consider cooperating with a potential partner. After the Canton Fair, you should verify the company you want to start doing business with. 

And here are a few more tips about how you should prepare for your trip to China:
One of the important things is exchanging currency for RMB.
For access to the Internet, you should buy a Chinese SIM card.
Before your trip to China, we would also recommend downloading Express VPN either on your computer or mobile device. Without it, you will not have access to blocked services in China. A VPN is necessary if you want to use Facebook or Google services (for example, Gmail) during your stay in Guangzhou.
Make a separate email for each fair edition to avoid getting spammed – suppliers may send messages about orders or e-Christmas cards for many years.
Do not forget to bring a pair of comfortable shoes. The exhibition area is as huge as 240 football fields, so you should be prepared to walk a lot.
Also, remember that during spring and fall, the weather in Guangzhou may be different from that in your country, so bring clothes appropriate for the weather. We advise you to take a backpack or a suitcase to the fairground for promotional materials and samples.

If you still have any doubt after reading this comprehensive guide on the Canton Fair, feel free to contact us: Guangzhou China-Latin Imp&Exp/ Guangzhou China-Latin Logistics. We are purchasing agent that can provide Translation&Interpretation service of Chinese-English-Spanish-Portuguese, verification of suppliers, inspection of goods as well as maritime&air shipment of cargoes from China to your country. We aim to be your reliable and sustainable partner in China because we believe that with our professionalism and enthusiasm, hand in hand we can make your importation projects from China be a success!

Written by YEN