鄭哥，90年代大學畢業，26年橫跨電子、家電、服裝、珠寶、教育、AI算力多個行業。做過中學教師、翻譯、外贸，現在搞七善門科技和星辰算力。口頭禪：「點解唔得？」Hany, university grad from the 90s, 26 years across electronics, appliances, fashion, jewelry, education, and AI compute. Former teacher, translator, trader. Now running Qishanmen Tech and Star Compute. Catchphrase: "Why not?"
A junior trader asked me: Hany, after so many years in export, with cross-border e-commerce, AI tools, and social media matrices — do you still need to go to the Canton Fair?
I said: once you've met foreign clients face-to-face, inspected goods on the spot, negotiated a price and shaken hands — you'll know: 100 emails online can't match one meeting at the Canton Fair.
October 15, 2026 marks the opening of the 140th Canton Fair in Guangzhou Pazhou — right on its 70th anniversary. 70 years, 140 sessions. From 9,600 sqm to 1.55 million sqm. From 1,200 visitors to 310,000. This exhibition has never stopped. How hard Chinese exports are, how hard Hong Kong traders work — the Canton Fair has witnessed it all.
Act 1: Behind the Numbers Is Real Export Body Heat
Let's look at the data first.
Ministry of Commerce: January–August, total import-export 34.8 trillion yuan, up 17.6%. Export up 14.6%, import up 22% — imports growing faster than exports, trade surplus narrowing 4.7%, a healthy sign.
General Administration of Customs: H1 total 25.47 trillion, up 16.9%, four consecutive months above 4 trillion. China drove 2.1 percentage points of global trade growth, contribution rate 20.3%, firmly the world's largest goods trader.
But after 26 years in export, I know: nice numbers don't mean every factory owner is doing well. Customs themselves warn: global inflation pressure hasn't eased, trade barriers are increasing, geopolitical conflicts frequent. H2 faces real risks.
場景：中國出口工廠生產線Scene: Chinese export factory production line Image AI-assisted (Z-Image-Turbo)
Act 2: 70 Years of Canton Fair — It's Not Just a Trade Show, It's a Credit System
A foreign client asked: why should I trust your factory? I said: at the Canton Fair, we sit face-to-face, I show you my passport, business license, factory video, and you can touch the samples on the spot — that's the Canton Fair.
Ministry of Commerce: since the 139th session, overseas buyers from 220 countries and regions. Behind that number is a decades-old credit network.
The 140th session: 32,000 exhibiting enterprises, over 11,000 specialized and innovative champions, one-third of total; 64% applying industrial internet and AI; new products and green products at 23.2% and 26% respectively — both record highs.
場景：廣交會現場中外貿易談判Scene: Canton Fair trade negotiation Image AI-assisted (Z-Image-Turbo)
Act 3: AI Has Entered Export, But Face-to-Face Meetings Are Still Irreplaceable
Ministry data: cross-border e-commerce imports/exports H1 reached 1.45 trillion yuan, creating over 10 million jobs, AI application rate among CBEC enterprises exceeding 60%.
We come from AI tools — of course we know how powerful AI is. Client due diligence, inquiry responses, factory screening, AI does it all faster. But when Sa Beining tastes good food and immediately says "quick, get me a lunchbox" — that's a moment AI can't replace.
The value of the Canton Fair isn't just displaying products — it's building relationships. Foreign clients fly over not just to see goods, but to see what you look like, know who you are, feel whether you're reliable. 26 years in export tells me: big orders are negotiated face-to-face, not written in emails.
場景：廣交會AI電子產品展位Scene: Canton Fair AI electronics booth Image AI-assisted (Z-Image-Turbo)
Act 4: Southeast Asia Taking Orders, African Opportunities, Belt and Road — Complexity Increasing
Ministry data: H1 trade with Belt & Road countries 12.97 trillion, up 14.8%, 50.9% of total export. Trade with neighboring countries 9.44 trillion, up 20.6%. Latin America and Africa up 16.2% and 19.6% respectively.
Exports to Africa: electromechanical products 534.11 billion, up 28.8%; photovoltaic, power transmission, general machinery, auto parts all growing well. Africa zero-tariff policy (fully implemented May 2026 for 53 African diplomatic countries) drove imports from Africa of 193.8 billion, up 23.5%. A real incremental market.
But UN report: US tariffs rising, manufacturing bearing the brunt, supply chains regionalizing. Companies reducing risk through diversified suppliers and near-market production shifts. Southeast Asian factories rising, clients diversifying procurement. Real changes, not just "positive spin."
場景：一帶一路貨船抵達非洲港口Scene: Belt and Road cargo ship at African port Image AI-assisted (Z-Image-Turbo)
Act 5: For Us — How to Make the Most of the Canton Fair
For cross-border e-commerce, AI compute sales, and consumer electronics — where's the Canton Fair value for us?
First: Consumer electronics buyers. October 15–19, Phase 1: home appliances, consumer electronics, new energy vehicles, lighting — our direct customer base. Exchange business cards, email response rates triple afterward.
Second: AI compute clients. Technical equipment hall has servers, cloud computing, data center exhibitors — our compute service prospects. Exchange cards, add WeChat, follow up.
Third: Market intelligence. What clients want, where competitors are, where prices are heading — the Canton Fair is the most direct market research venue. No budget needed, just eyes and ears.
One-Line Summary
The Canton Fair at 70 is not just China's export barometer — it's the credit infrastructure for export people. Numbers are暂时 stable, but headwinds are already here. How do export veterans break through? With AI tools to boost efficiency, face-to-face meetings to build trust, and diversified markets to spread risk. Three roads, none dispensable.
關於作者About the Author
鄭哥，90年代大學畢業，26年橫跨電子、家電、服裝、珠寶、教育、AI算力多個行業。做過中學教師、翻譯、外贸，現在搞七善門科技和星辰算力。口頭禪：「點解唔得？」Hany, university grad from the 90s, 26 years across electronics, appliances, fashion, jewelry, education, and AI compute. Former teacher, translator, trader. Now running Qishanmen Tech and Star Compute. Catchphrase: "Why not?"
