Canton Fair (Autumn) — China Import & Export Fair 2026

Dates
Venue
China Import & Export Fair Complex (Pazhou), Guangzhou
City
Guangzhou, China
Industry
General Trade
Official website
www.cantonfair.org.cn

The Canton Fair, formally the China Import and Export Fair, is the largest and most comprehensive trade fair in China. The autumn edition runs at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Pazhou, Guangzhou, from 15 October to 4 November 2026, across three separate phases.

What the fair covers

The Canton Fair is a general trade fair rather than a single industry event, which is what makes it unusual. Its scope spans electronics, consumer goods, textiles, home products, machinery, building materials and much more. Because the range is so wide, the fair is organised into three phases, each covering a different group of product categories. A buyer sourcing kitchenware and a buyer sourcing industrial equipment will often be attending on completely different dates. Checking which phase carries your product category before booking travel is the single most useful piece of planning you can do.

Dates, venue and the three phases

The autumn 2026 edition runs from 15 October to 4 November at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Pazhou, Guangzhou. The full span covers three phases with short breaks between them while the halls are re-set for the next group of categories. The complex is one of the largest exhibition venues in the world, and the walk between distant halls is substantial. Most buyers plan two to four days inside a single phase rather than trying to cover the entire period, which would mean staying in Guangzhou for roughly three weeks.

Registration and getting in

Buyer registration is handled through the official Canton Fair website, and completing it before you travel is strongly advised. Registration produces a buyer badge that you collect or activate on arrival, and doing this in advance avoids queueing at the registration counters during the opening rush. You will normally need your passport details and company information. Visitors travelling from outside China should also confirm their visa situation early, since the fair period is one of the busiest travel windows of the year for Guangzhou and appointment slots can fill up.

Language and interpreting support

Most exhibitors at the Canton Fair are Chinese manufacturers, and while larger booths often have English speaking sales staff, that is not something you can rely on across the whole complex. Technical discussions about specifications, tolerances, materials and pricing tend to be where language becomes the limiting factor. Buyers who bring an interpreter typically get further in a single day, because they can negotiate directly rather than through a phone translation app. An interpreter who already knows the Pazhou complex will also save you time simply by knowing the layout.

After the fair

Meeting a supplier at a booth is the beginning of a process, not the end of one. Samples, factory visits, quality inspection and shipping arrangements all follow, and most of that happens after you have flown home. Many buyers arrange a pre shipment or during production inspection for their first order with a new supplier, since a booth conversation tells you very little about a factory's actual production quality. Keeping notes on which booth number and phase each supplier came from is more useful later than it sounds at the time.

Frequently asked questions

When and where is the autumn 2026 Canton Fair?

It runs from 15 October to 4 November 2026 at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Pazhou, Guangzhou. That span covers all three phases, with short changeover breaks between them while the halls are re-set for different product categories.

Why is the fair split into three phases?

The Canton Fair covers far more product categories than can fit in the complex at one time. Splitting it into three phases lets each group of industries have the full venue. It also means you should confirm which phase covers your product category before booking flights.

Do I need to register before travelling?

Registering in advance through the official Canton Fair website is strongly recommended. It produces the buyer badge you need to enter and saves you queueing at the registration counters on arrival. Have your passport and company details ready when you register.

Will exhibitors speak English?

Some will, particularly at larger booths, but you cannot count on it across the whole complex. English tends to run out once conversations move to technical specifications, materials and pricing terms, which is exactly where accuracy matters most for a buyer.

Is one day enough to cover the fair?

For most buyers, no. The complex is very large and a single phase alone can take two to four days to work through properly. Trying to cover all three phases would mean staying in Guangzhou for roughly three weeks.