More Foreigners to Attend 2007 Canton Fair

Source: english.gz.gov.cn

The 101st Canton Fair (Chinese Export Commodities Fair) will be held from April 15 to 30 in Guangzhou and, starting this year, will change its official name to Chinese Import & Export Commodities Fair (CIFCF). 

In addition to overseas buyers and domestic exhibitors, this year's Fair will attract a large number of overseas exhibitors and Chinese buyers.
  

Some foreign visitors at the Pazhou Convention Center in the 100th session of Canton Fair in October, 2006. [Qingdao News]

  
It is expected the number of foreign visitors during the fair would greatly increase. At present over 10,000 foreign businessmen have booked hotel rooms, airplane tickets or train tickets through travel agencies. Over 4,000 have bought tour packages to visit scenic attractions within Guangdong Province an increase of 20% over the same time of last year.

Over the past 50 years, the Canton Fair has been a window to China's export industry and the participants have been mainly domestic exhibitors and overseas buyers.

At last year's Canton Fair opening ceremony, Premier Wen Jiabao announced that from the 101st session, the official name would be changed to "The Chinese Import and Export Commodities Fair".  The name change also means that starting this year, overseas exhibitors and Chinese buyers will participate in the Fair side by side.

Editor: Shanna Chu