HONG KONG, April 15 - China’s largest trade fair, which is held twice a year, opened on Wednesday in the southern city of Guangzhou. The event hosts more than 32,000 exhibitors and occupies an area described as larger than 200 football fields.
The expo runs from April 15 to May 5 and is organised in three distinct phases. The timing of the fair has drawn attention because new data showed China’s export growth slowed sharply in March. Organisers and observers point to disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East - which has produced shocks to energy and transportation - as a factor weighing on global demand and exposing vulnerabilities in Beijing’s strategy of relying on manufacturing to prop up growth.
According to the information provided about the trade fair, the event’s first phase focuses on electronics, manufacturing and new energy vehicles. The second phase is dedicated to housewares, building materials and furniture. The third phase will feature toys, fashion, home textiles and stationery.
The conflict in the Middle East is cited as having interrupted global growth and, as a result, leaving China exposed because the country has depended on foreign demand to make up for a prolonged inability to revive consumption at home.
To help buyers who face travel limitations, organisers said the fair is staging online events and livestreamed sessions to accommodate remote participation.
Organisers note that the previous edition of the fair attracted more than 310,000 overseas buyers from 223 countries and regions, according to the fair’s website.
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