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China's largest and oldest trade fair has entered its second phase in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. The Canton Fair hosts domestic suppliers from across the country and welcomes tens of thousands of international buyers. And in this second phase, home decorations, Christmas ornaments and other festival products are on display. CGTN's Omar Khan reports. 

Omar Khan in Haikou, Hainan province, said: "So, it's late April, and this entire exhibition hall here at the Canton Fair, is dedicated to holiday ornaments and Christmas decorations. And it may come as a surprise to many, but China is responsible for so many of the exports of these products to the rest of the world for Christmas, and other holidays."

In the first quarter of 2024, China's exports rose 4.9 percent year on year. For domestic holiday suppliers at the Canton Fair, this upward trend is getting reflected in recent sales. Christmas and the festive spirit have come early for many of these businesses.

Li Rui, Sales Manager of Longstar, said:"In the second phase, we're focusing on holiday gifts, trees, and plant products, including artificial Christmas trees. Just in the past two days, we've reached a customer flow between 500 and 600. So, the numbers are really good, as is the quality of business."

Although Halloween and Christmas are more than half a year away, the fair is crucial for many of these time-sensitive products hitting the shelves on time. Establishing business relationships and closing deals this early, is nothing peculiar for companies here. 

Huang Jun, Sales Director of Eagle Gifts, said: "Our products sell mostly to the western countries. We sell directly to the retailers in the U.S. and Europe. We've been in this industry for more than twenty years. We have enlarged our production lines. We have more capacity. For the Christmas balls we can get more customers for the next year. So, the Canton Fair is very important for our country, because 80 percent of our customers are from the Canton Fair."

Li Rui, Sales Manager of Longstar, said: "For us, the U.S. market is definitely the largest for our products and industry. Our company has done most of its business in both Europe and the U.S.. So far, 40 percent of our sales come from Europe, and the remaining 60 percent from the U.S.."

In recent years China has aimed to diversify its economic drivers, focusing on new, high-quality engines of growth. But foreign trade and platforms such as the Canton Fair, which is in its 135th edition, will remain vital for stabilizing the country's economic performance. Omar Khan, CGTN, Guangzhou.