The Canton Fair, considered a barometer of China’s foreign trade and manufacturing outlook for the next six to nine months, has concluded in Guangzhou as dramatically as it began.
Three weeks ago, the exhibition hall was shrouded in gloom. Just days before China’s largest and oldest trade exhibition opened on October 15, US President Donald Trump had threatened to impose an additional 100 per cent tariff on Chinese goods.
The announcement sent shock waves through the fair, plunging exporters into a state of anxiety and uncertainty.
But the closing scenes on Tuesday were starkly different. After the US and China reached a phased trade agreement last week that partially rolled back tariffs, exporters finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“This year has been incredibly tense,” said Cindy Wang, sales manager at Tianjin Lucky Toy. “US tariff policies changed too often, and no one dared to quote prices or place orders.”
“We can finally catch our breath,” said Lily Zhang, a toy exporter from Zhangping in Fujian province. “Three weeks ago, we thought the US market would be gone. Now, at least this year seems steady.”
