Canton Fair 2026 opens: what the 140th session means for importers

The 140th Canton Fair opened in Guangzhou on October 15, 2026, and runs in three phases to November 4. Here is what each phase covers, what China's Ministry of Commerce says is new this year, and what appliance makers told Chinese reporters about their factories outside China, which matters for where your goods are made.

For: ImportersAmazon sellersSmall businesses

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What changed

The fair opened on October 15 for its 140th session, which is also its 70th anniversary. According to MOFCOM's notice, the three phases are:

MOFCOM spokesperson He Yadong said Phase 1 covers 520,000 square meters with more than 25,000 booths and about 12,000 companies, with 17 zones for newer industries such as service robots, drones and display technology (Yicai, in Chinese). Yicai, citing state broadcaster CCTV, reported about 86,000 overseas buyers from 208 countries and regions on the first day. MOFCOM Assistant Minister Zhang Li said this session has 32,000 exhibitors, more than 11,000 of them designated specialized or single-product champion firms, and that 64% use industrial internet or AI technology.

What it means for your business

For a small importer, the useful part is not the size of the fair. It is two practical points.

1. Timing. Most consumer goods that small sellers buy (kitchenware, home decor, gifts, toys, apparel, pet products) are in Phases 2 and 3, so suppliers in those categories are busy at the fair until early November. Expect slower replies from sales staff in those weeks, and fresh price lists right after.

2. Where your goods are made. On opening day, appliance makers told Yicai (in Chinese) that tariff changes have not changed their plans to keep building plants abroad. Haier said it breaks ground on a washing machine plant in Thailand on October 26 and opens phase two of a refrigerator plant in Egypt in mid to late November. Midea said it just opened an oven plant in Egypt, its seventh there, and has plants in Vietnam, Thailand and Mexico. Vanward said phase two of its Egypt base will reach 500,000 finished gas water heaters a year, on top of 3 million kitchen and outdoor grill units a year in Thailand. A cleaning appliance maker said part of its US-bound production now comes from Vietnam and Thailand.

Under US rules, the country of origin is where a product was last substantially transformed (a new name, character or use), not where the brand is from (Congressional Research Service). So the same model can carry a different US duty depending on the plant it ships from. Simple relabeling or repacking does not change origin.

Who is affected

• Importers and Amazon sellers who buy home goods, toys, apparel or electronics from Chinese suppliers.
• Anyone planning a supplier visit or a sample order in late October or early November.
• Buyers of appliances or electronics from large brands that also make in Southeast Asia, Egypt or Mexico.

What to do now

1. If you buy kitchenware, decor or gifts, or toys, apparel or pet products, plan for slower supplier replies during Phase 2 (Oct 23 to 27) and Phase 3 (Oct 31 to Nov 4), and ask for updated price lists after the fair.
2. On your next quote, ask the supplier which plant will make your order and what country of origin will appear on the commercial invoice and the goods.
3. If the origin is not China, check the duty for that origin before you compare prices, and keep the supplier's origin documents with your entry records.
4. Run both cases through the landed cost calculator, with and without the China-only Section 301 layers.

General information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules change often: check the official sources above or a licensed customs broker before you act. SuanSupply is not affiliated with any government agency or marketplace named here.