The Building Blocks of the Economy

GUANGZHOU, China, December 2 - With the rough and tumble of 2009 coming to an end, the strong
performance of the latest edition of the Canton Fair, has been seen as a sign
of good things to come across media outlets. Trade volume at the 106th fair
was, at USD30.47 billion, only 3.4% lower than it was last year, a sign that
retailers world-over are expecting a strong winter holiday. Attendance picked
up, with 22,734 more foreign buyers than the 105th fair, an increase of
13.7%, a particularly large number of European buyers attended this year,
jumping 31.5% to 37,268. We had 116.76 million hits to our website — up 6.6%
– and USD41.68 million in purchases made over our online system. As the
largest export fair in the country with the world's largest export market,
the Canton Fair's performance is a clear sign that good things are on the
horizon.

(Photo: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091202/CNW002 )

Besides a bounce back in the export markets, trade volumes directed
towards China's domestic market all increased. In this session 7,504 domestic
procurement representatives attended the fair for our "match-making
conferences" where they met exporting companies that hadn't yet found the
customers in their own back yard. Also, Hong Kong companies were the largest
customers in attendance, with 28,209 buyers at the fair.

We hope to see many of the 3,000 visitors to our VIP club return for the
107th, as well as new visitors, and the fair has continued to increase its
health and security services, as well as speeding up the entire process from
booth construction, through registration, to dismantling, to servicing their
needs.

While buyers were still cautious at the 106th, with the economic recovery
picking up, the 107th could be among the best Spring fairs to date. Many
investors signed only 6-month contracts this time, meaning that if the
economy continues at its current pace they'll have to come back for seconds
in April. The 107th edition of the Canton Fair runs in three sessions, first
from April 15-19, second from April 23-27, and last from May 1-5. With new
opportunities appearing in new places every day, each session will be filled
with new business partners and new opportunities, working together to build
the new economies.

For more information, please visit: www.cantonfair.org.cn

    General:
     +86-20-2608-9999
     info@cantonfair.org.cn

    Media:
     Mr. Xiaoying Wu
     +86-20-8913-8628
     xiaoying.wu@cantonfair.org.cn

+86-20-2608-9999, info at cantonfair.org.cn; Media, Xiaoying Wu, +86-20-8913-8628, xiaoying.wu at cantonfair.org.cn