Shanghai’s Import Expo Opens Nov. 5, With Shenzhen and Guangzhou Shows to Follow and the Canton Fair in April

The ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE), themed on imports, opens in Shanghai on Nov. 5. About three weeks later the Shenzhen hi-tech fair and the Guangzhou auto show open back to back, and the spring Canton Fair follows in April.

By FOCUS BUSINESS editorial staff

The ninth CIIE is hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce and the Shanghai municipal government. The first exhibits were moved into the venue on Oct. 26. According to Xinhua, 4,142 overseas companies will exhibit, and total exhibition space is expected to top 440,000 square meters for the first time. Last year’s eighth edition had 4,108 exhibitors.

CIIE in Shanghai, Nov. 5–10: six halls and a “Korea Innovation Pavilion”

The fair is divided into six halls: technology and equipment, consumer goods, food and agricultural products, automobiles and smart mobility, medical devices and healthcare, and trade in services. In the organizers’ invitation materials, food and agriculture (85,000 sq m) and consumer goods (80,000 sq m) are the largest, followed by medical and health (70,000 sq m) and technology equipment (65,000 sq m). More than 480 exhibits will debut as world, Asia or China firsts, up from 461 last year.

Korean companies have a dedicated showcase as well. The Korea Innovation Center in China (KIC China) is running a “Korea Innovation Pavilion” in the fair’s innovation incubation zone and, in August, recruited 8 to 10 firms in AI, digital health, robotics, sustainable technology and advanced manufacturing. KIC China covered booth rental and basic setup costs.

Last year’s CIIE recorded $83.49 billion in annual intended deals and more than 460,000 registered visitors.

Shenzhen Hi-Tech Fair, Nov. 26–28: technology displays with investment meetings attached

The 28th China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) runs Nov. 26–28 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Bao’an, with 400,000 square meters of space. China Daily expects more than 5,000 exhibitors and over 450,000 professional visitors. Last year’s 27th edition drew more than 5,000 companies and international organizations, with intended deals and investment financing above 170 billion yuan and over 450,000 visitors, across 22 exhibition zones.

This year’s official description lists zones for AI and robotics, semiconductors and integrated circuits, low-altitude economy and aerospace, major national science and technology equipment, and financial and capital services. The Asia Energy Storage & Battery Industry Expo runs alongside. A Shenzhen technology investment conference on opening day, Nov. 26, is expected to draw about 500 people.

Guangzhou Auto Show, Nov. 27–Dec. 6: a supply-chain show runs alongside

The 24th Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition, themed “New Technology, New Life,” is held in Halls A and D of the Canton Fair Complex in Pazhou. The official site’s forecasts for this year are about 240,000 square meters of space, more than 1,000 participating brands and over 800,000 visits. Last year drew 855,000 visitors, and 629 of the 1,085 vehicles on display (58%) were new-energy models. Ninety-three new cars made their debut.

Apart from the vehicle show, an automotive supply-chain exhibition runs Nov. 27–30. Parts makers hoping to meet component and supply-chain firms may want to schedule their visits for those days.

Canton Fair: 140th edition under way, next on April 15–19, 2027

The Canton Fair (China Import and Export Fair), hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce and the Guangdong provincial government, is held twice a year, in spring and autumn, at the Pazhou complex in Guangzhou. This autumn’s 140th edition opened on Oct. 15 and drew more than 86,000 buyers from 208 countries and regions on the first day alone. More than 12,000 companies have booths, over 6,000 of them advanced manufacturers. According to China Media Group, the venue covers 520,000 square meters across 19 themed halls, with advanced manufacturing at the core. The exhibition-information site Jufair lists the next edition, spring 2027 Phase 1, as April 15–19.

Business Checkpoints

By sector, the CIIE suits consumer goods, food and medical device companies, the CHTF suits tech firms, the Guangzhou show suits auto parts makers, and the Canton Fair suits manufacturers and traders.

The Shenzhen fair opens on the 26th and the Guangzhou show on the 27th, one day apart, so both can be covered by high-speed rail. Hotel and transport prices tend to rise when big shows cluster, so book lodging first.

※ This article is based on reports by Xinhua and CRI, the official sites of each show and organizers’ materials.