Message from the Director General

China Foreign Trade Centre (CFTC), a government-sponsored institution affiliated to the Ministry of Commerce of PRC, has an affiliated business entity, China Foreign Trade Centre Group, Ltd. CFTC organizes China Import and Export Fair (also known as the Canton Fair) and other large specialized exhibitions, and operates the world’s largest exhibition complex--the Canton Fair Complex, and the largest exhibition complex in Northern China--National Convention & Exhibition Center (Tianjin). It also manages the whole convention and exhibition industrial chain including exhibition construction, hotel services, catering, advertising, business travelling, and trade services. CFTC plays a dominant role in the high-quality development of China’s exhibition industry and in the promotion of the country’s foreign trade for its professional exhibition experience and service as well as outstanding performance.

Since its inception, CFTC has been committed to reform and innovation, overcoming difficulties and making progress together with the Canton Fair. Established in 1957, the Canton Fair was held for 134 sessions successfully, withstanding various challenges and never been interrupted. It has established trade ties with over 229 countries and regions. The accumulated export volume has amounted to about USD 1.5 trillion and the total number of overseas buyers attending the Canton Fair onsite and online has exceeded 10 million. The Fair has effectively promoted trade connections and friendly exchanges between China and the world. The 134th Canton Fair witnessed its exhibition scale reaching a record high of 1.55 million square meters. The Fair’s online platform was operated on a regular basis. With 55 exhibition sections set by industries, the 134th Canton Fair registered over 28,000 exhibitors onsite and online respectively, and attracted domestic and international buyers from 229 countries and regions to its physical and virtual exhibitions. With a grand scene where tens of thousands of businesses flocked to the Fair, the 134th Canton Fair generated better-than-expected outcomes, which made contribution to stabilizing the scale and optimizing the structure of China’s foreign trade, improving opening-up on all fronts and building the new development paradigm.  

CFTC has always focused on its main business and strived to grow self-organized brand shows. China International Furniture Fair, China International Building & Decoration Fair, and Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition made constant progress to keep their industry-leading positions. While optimizing existing shows, we’ve taken a pioneering path and made remarkable progress in innovating our models and nurturing new shows. We’ve inaugurated China Building Science Conference and Green Intelligent Building Expo in the National Convention & Exhibition Center (Tianjin) successfully, and launched Guangzhou International Quality Home &Lifestyle Fair, China Cross-border E-commerce Trade Fair and International Baby Products & Toys Expo in Guangzhou. With enriched exhibition content, CFTC strengthened its role as the industry leader.

CFTC has been committed to improving its services and to provide “one-stop” services covering the entire exhibition chain for customers. CFTC has been bettering operation, management and service of the Canton Fair Complex and National Convention & Exhibition Center (Tianjin). The Canton Fair and large self-organized shows serve as the engine for the synergetic development of supporting businesses such as exhibition construction, hotel services, property management, catering, advertising, business travelling, trade services and so on. We’ve made constant efforts to increase exhibitions’ contributions to growing business, and to build an exhibition economy that is based in Guangzhou, relies on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, covers the entire China and reaches out to the world. 

With inspiring drumbeat, we set sail for the new journey of stable and greater development. The year of 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It is also a critical year for accomplishing the targets set by the 14th Five Year Plan. It is thus of great significance to ensure the work of the Canton Fair and CFTC proceeds well. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, the 2nd Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, the Central Economic Work Conference, the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs and President Xi's congratulatory letter to the Canton Fair, and  meet the requirements raised by the National Commerce Work Conference. Commerce is an important part of the domestic market, an important hub connecting the domestic and international markets, and plays an important role in building the new development paradigm. Bearing in mind this concept, we continue to seek progress while maintaining stability by making stability as the overall foundation and progress as the direction and incentive for development. With Party building the overarching work, we will put in continuous efforts on strengthening the Canton Fair, expanding self-organized shows, upgrading venue operation and integrating the convention and exhibition industrial chain, so as to boost qualitative and quantitative improvement of all businesses in an effective and reasonable way. To contribute to the new chapter of commerce in the Chinese modernization, we will better serve the consolidation of the overall performance of foreign trade and foreign investment, steady and high-quality growth in foreign trade as well as high-standard opening up.

Chu Shijia,

Secretary of CPC Committee of CFTC, Director General of CFTC