If you could attend only one trade show, it would be China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair). It is a must-be place for importers that source from China. The biggest trade show takes place over the span of a few weeks in spring and fall every year in Guangzhou in south China. It is split into three phases. If you import consumer goods, gifts, toys, or furniture, you should attend Canton Fair Phase 2.
Canton Fair Phase 2
Where is Canton Fair held?
Canton Fair (广交会) is held in China Import and Export Fair (Pazhou) Complex in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. The complex is the largest object of this kind in Asia, divided into A, B, C, and D areas. It has both indoor and outdoor exhibition areas that accommodate over 60,000 booths.
Canton Fair’s full address is Pazhou Complex, Yuejiangzhong Road 382, Haizhu, Guangzhou.
When is Canton Fair Phase 2?
Canton Fair is unusual, split into two sessions (spring and fall) and three phases. The second phase of the China Import and Export Fair is on:
- Spring session: April 23-27
- Fall session: October 23-27
Official Canton Fair website: cantonfair.org.cn/en-US

Canton Fair Phase 2 all product categories
Consumer goods
- kitchenware & tableware
- stainless steel containers, enamel containers, containers of other materials
- dining table items and decorations: dishes, knives and forks, table candles, table decorations
- kitchenware: bottle openers, corkscrews, can openers, hot pot implements, kettles, knives for kitchen and professional, kitchen paper, peeler, aluminum foil, scales, knife sharpeners, knife cleaners, pots, spades, spoons, nutcrackers
- general ceramics
- tableware, kitchenware, and daily use ceramics for home & hotel use
- other tableware, kitchenware, and daily use ceramics
- household items
- cleaning products: washing products and laundry appliances; detergents, pot cleaning products, refrigerator deodorants, window washing agents, brooms, brushes, rags, mops, polish appliances, garbage buckets, garbage spades
- general houseware: umbrellas, sun umbrellas, gloves for civil use, gloves for labor protection, basins, buckets, clothing pins, coat hangers and clothes racks, clothes baskets, clothes forks, hooks, ironing boards, shoe racks, shoe boxes, shoe cabinets, smoking gears, lighters, thermometers, CD racks, paper bins, cabinets for storage, wine racks, trolleys, other houseware products

Gifts at Canton Fair
- clocks, watches & optical instruments
- clocks: quartz clocks, mechanical clocks, jumping figure clocks, radio clocks, cabinet clocks, wall clocks, table clocks
- watches: quartz watches, mechanical watches, jumping figure watches, LCD display watches, timers, sports watches, fashion watches, pocket watches, pendant watches
- clock & watch parts: dials, movements, cases, handles, chains, straps, watch glass, water-resistant rings
- spectacles: corrective glasses, spectacles for presbyopia, contact lens, sunglasses
- spectacle accessories: frames, lenses, glasses boxes, cleaning cloths
- gifts and premiums
- polyresin crafts
- traditional Chinese art crafts: cloisonne, lacquerware & lacquer engraving, craft fans, craft lights, four treasures of study (writing brushes, inksticks, ink slabs and paper), hair and hair products, embroidery, vases, tea sets, wine sets, carving handicrafts, clay sculptures, ethnic handicrafts, other art crafts
- jewelry, bone carvings and jade sculptures: gemstones, pearls, jewelry raw materials, gold & silver; bone carvings and jade sculptures; yak and buffalo bones, horse bones, camel bones, hawksbill turtle shells, deer horns, corals, mother-of-pearls and other carvings and sculpture products of animal origin, jade carvings
- marketing gifts and premiums: marketing premiums, medals and badges, souvenirs, key rings, key cases, notebooks
- paper and wrappings: calendars, wall calendars, desktop calendars, cards, gift boxes, gift packages, handicraft paper, paper bags, ribbons, gift wrapping papers
- festival products
- party supplies & decorations: balloons, party supplies, party decoration
- holidays supplies and decorations: Christmas, Easter, Halloween and other specialized supplies and decorations

Home decorations
- art ceramics
- artistic ceramics
- craft ceramics
- horticultural and gardening ceramics
- glass artware
- glassware
- glass decorations
- other glass artware
- weaving, rattan, and iron arts
- bamboo crafts, wood crafts, grass crafts, wickerwork
- rattan and iron artworks
- home decorations
- decorative candles, candles holders, and related products
- paintings, painting frames, photo frames, mirrors: Chinese calligraphy art and paintings, oil paintings, carving paintings, albums, artistic mirror frames, picture frames, foldable supports, decoration mirrors
- desktop supplies
- door and window decorations, wall decorations
- artificial flowers
- gardening products
- flowers, dry flowers, and nursery stocks
- potted landscapes
- outdoor supplies
- horticultural tools & supplies: plant accessories, necessary supplies, horticultural decorations, other products
- fish, birds and animals for display and decoration
- stone/iron decoration & outdoor spa equipment
- sculpture products of stone: stone materials, large-sized cast iron products, other outdoor decorations
- outdoor spa equipment and spares, swimming pool equipment
- furniture
- traditional Chinese style furniture
- furniture for indoors: furniture for living room, restaurant, bedroom, study, kitchen, and bathroom
- hospital, school, office, hotel furniture
- outdoor furniture: garden, patio, beach, and camping furniture
- furniture for public places
- semi-finished and spare parts

Is Canton Fair worth attending?
Is it worth investing money, energy, and time into attending industry events such as Canton Fair? The answer is yes! If you attend Canton Fair, you can:
- build contacts and develop connections to expand business perspective (networking)
- interact face-to-face with Chinese suppliers (it is their preferred type of interaction)
- discover suppliers that are not available on online marketplaces
- analyze competitors
- see and test samples
- be up-to-date with trends and innovations in your industry
Canton Fair Online
Attending an in-person trade fair, especially one as popular as Canton Fair, can bring your business to the next level, but not every firm has the means for international travel. Fortunately, Canton Fair is also available online. As the Canton Fair session approaches, organizations launch an online website where you can connect with suppliers and explore products. The platform brings together suppliers and buyers across all industries. For a limited period of time, you can watch and participate in live streams as well as schedule meetings with the suppliers.
Don’t fall for a China scam!
Regardless of how you come across a Chinese supplier (be it an online marketplace or trade show), it is always wise to take protective measures and conduct due diligence on future business partners. Make an informed business decision and save your money and nerves.