For over sixty years, The Canton fair serves as a historical witness to the development of China's foreign trade, it has faithfully recorded the pace of the country's growth.
The Exhibition of Chinese Export Commodities was established in Guangzhou in the Spring of 1957. later it changed its name to the Chinese Export Commodities Fair and China Import and Export Fair. But we all call it "Canton Fair". Because by the time city Guangzhou still has 'Canton' as its English name. Canton is a well know name of foreign trade city for a long time. Under the national policy of “one-stop trade” in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Canton(Guangzhou) was once the only foreign trade port in China.
The original intention of the government to hold the Canton Fair was to break the international blockade and earn valuable foreign exchange to buy important supplies. At first, most of the exhibits on display were raw materials. Gradually, the ratio of manufactured goods has risen from 20% at the outset of the Fair in 1957 to 85.6% in 1995, even more now.
· In 1956, in the name of "China Council for the Promotion of International Trade", a two-month "China Export Commodities Exhibition" was held at the former Sino-Soviet Friendship Building in Guangzhou.
· In 1957, with the approval of the State Council, China's foreign trade companies held two Spring and Autumn China Export Commodities Fairs in Guangzhou. The first session of Canton fair was held on 25th April 1957, at China-Soviet Friendship Building, Guangzhou. The 1-2nd sessions Canton Fair was held here.
· In 1958, the venue was moved to the "China Export Commodities Exhibition Hall" at No. 2 Qiaoguang Road. Export turnover exceeded 100 million US dollars for the first time, reaching 150 million US dollars. In 1958, the 3rd session of Canton Fair moves to "侨光路陈列馆". The 3-5th sessions Canton Fair was held here.
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· In 1959, the venue was moved to the exhibition hall of the Qiyi Road, covering an area of 40,000 square meters, which is 2.7 times that of the Qiaoguang Road Exhibition Hall. In 1959, the 6th session of Canton Fair moves to "起义路陈列馆". The 6-34th sessions Canton Fair was held here.
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· In 1967, Premier Zhou inspected the Spring Fair and did the mass organization work to ensure the smooth convening of the fair.
· In 1972, after the publication of the Sino-US Joint Communiqué, there were 42 American businessmen invited to the conference in the spring of 1972. This was the first time that US and Chinese businessmen had attended the meeting after more than 20 years of Sino-US trade disruption.
· In 1974, the third time it was relocated to the new Canton Fair compound in Liuhua Road. On the front of the pavilion, there is the China Export Commodities Fair, which is written by Mr. Guo Moruo. In 1974, the 6th session of Canton Fair moves to "Canton Fair Liuhua Complex". The 35-103th Canton Fair was held here, the 94th - 103rd session of Canton Fair use both Liuhua and Pazhou Complex.
· In 1986, the Canton Fair spent more than 60 million yuan to carry out systematic transformation of the exhibition hall. A 60th celebration was held.
· In 1989, the two-year export turnover exceeded US$10 billion for the first time, reaching US$10.89 billion. The duration will be changed from 20 days to 15 days. A special economic zone trading group has been added.
·In 1993, the reform was carried out mainly by “provincial and municipal organizations, according to the group”. A total of 45 trading groups were set up to pilot the textile trade fair.
·In the 73rd Canton Fair in 1993, the group exhibition method realized the substantive reform of “provincial and municipal groups, according to the group establishment”, which greatly mobilized the enthusiasm of local commercial authorities and chambers of commerce to participate in the Canton Fair. The number of exhibitors increased from 1,472 to more than 2,700.
·In 1994, the Canton Fair began to organize exhibitions according to the "provincial and municipal group, chamber of commerce, combination of pavilions, and industry exhibitions." There are six major industry pavilions.
· In 1996, the Canton Fair increased its investment promotion and invited well-known foreign trade and trade groups and high-level trade representatives to attend the conference.
·In 1999, the private enterprise that was granted the self-support import and export right by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation showed its brand for the first time and took the front desk.
· In 2000, the session of the Canton Fair was changed from 15 days to 12 days; the number of visitors to the conference exceeded 100,000.
· In 2001, more than 110,000 visitors attended the Spring Fair; the transaction amounted to US$15.8 billion; the Canton Fair increased the protection of intellectual property rights.
· In 2002, starting from the 91st session, it will be changed to two sessions in one session. Each period will be six days, and the two periods will be separated by four days. At the same time, the products to be exhibited will be arranged and displayed separately in two periods.
· In the spring of 2002, the 91st Canton Fair was implemented in a major reform mode. The first session was held in two phases, each of which was held for 6 days.
· In this reform, the exhibition area reached 310,000 square meters, nearly double the increase, and exhibitors increased by 75%.
· In the spring of 2007, the 101st Canton Fair set up an import exhibition area to increase import functions and opened up a new trading platform for products from all over the world to enter the Chinese market.
· In the spring of 2008, the 103rd Canton Fair opened the second phase of the Pazhou Complex. Both pavilions are in use
· In the fall of 2008, the 104th Canton Fair moved to the Pazhou Complex as a whole. This is the fourth overall relocation of the Canton Fair. The exhibition layout has been changed from two sessions to two sessions. In 2008, the 104th session of Canton Fair move tho "Canton Fair Pazhou Complex"