In the cavernous halls of the Pazhou International Convention and Exhibition Center, the air buzzed with the sound of deals in the making. Buyers from around the world moved through the aisles, examining the latest gadgets, appliances, and energy technologies at what is often called “China’s No. 1 Trade Fair.”
From October 15 to 19, the 138th Session of the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair), a semiannual event considered a barometer of Chinese foreign trade, drew tens of thousands of overseas visitors. Among the exhibitors, one city stood out for the size of its delegation: Ningbo.
More than 1,600 Ningbo businesses filled over 4,300 booths, about 5.9 percent of the fair’s total. They brought with them not just products, but strategies built on trust, innovation, and partnerships.
“Today feels busier than the opening day of the spring session,” said Ren Yue’e, deputy general manager of Ningbo Cixi Import and Export Holdings. Her team was showcasing electric fans and air coolers months ahead of the summer season. “We’re seeing strong interest from Southeast Asia,” she added.
For many Ningbo exporters, this fair is about more than signing contracts. It’s about building partnerships in a shifting global market.
Smarter Products for
Better Life
On the exhibition floor, the booth of Golden Age Electric drew curious visitors with an unexpected star: a waffle maker. Unlike the basic models of the past, this one came with a digital temperature display and Bluetooth connectivity.
“We’ve had a lot of very targeted questions,” said sales manager Lu Xi. “People know exactly what they want now.”
This sharper pitch reflects a broader shift in Ningbo’s export strategy — away from low-cost, mass production toward design, customization, and innovation.
At the booth of Zhejiang Yueli Electrical, a stylist, playfully called “Tony” by Chinese netizens, was demonstrating a high-speed hair dryer capable of creating polished hairstyles without sprays or gels. “In the U.S., our hot-air products already outsell traditional dryers,” said marketing director Li Lizhong. “We believe this trend will reach Europe soon.”
Then came a surprise visit. A buyer from Central and Eastern Europe stopped by Yueli’s booth and recognized the same sales manager he had worked with 20 years ago. “He laughed and said, ‘The world is so small,’” Li recalled.
For Ningbo exporters, trust can be as powerful as technology. A long-term relationship can turn a casual meeting into long-term partnership.
New Items, New Momentum
If home appliances speak to daily life, another set of Ningbo companies is focused on the infrastructure shaping tomorrow.
At the booth of Safewell Group Holdings (China), a colorful display cabinet unexpectedly became a bestseller. “We designed it to attract attention,” said senior president Wang Lei. “But overseas clients wanted the whole thing — cabinet and equipment inside. And orders began pouring in at $2,000 each.”
For Safewell, it was more than a lucky break. Once known for steel safes, the company has evolved into a full-service provider for data center construction, from design to after-sales. “Many Belt and Road countries are building digital infrastructure. Today, we met clients from Kenya, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, all eager for this ‘Chinese technology’ to help build their local digital infrastructure,” Wang said. “We’re not just offering products. We’re offering solutions.”
This year, the fair’s largest buyer group again came from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, accounting for nearly 65 percent of all foreign visitors. That shift has opened doors for Ningbo’s growing clean-energy sector.
Among the 305 new energy exhibitors at this year’s fair, 16 were from Ningbo, including Ginlong Technologies, Osda Group, and Ulica Solar. Their solar and storage technologies are gaining traction in regions facing power shortages in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
More Than Goods
For decades, Ningbo has been known as a manufacturing hub, a city where home appliances, automotive parts, and industrial equipment stream steadily out to the world. But this year’s Canton Fair revealed Ningbo as a city moving up the value chain.
The fair itself has leaned into a new direction, emphasizing “smart,” “innovative,” and “green.” It introduced a smart healthcare zone and showcased more than 350,000 intelligent products, from humanoid robots to AI-enabled devices. Ningbo’s exhibitors embraced that shift, blending scale with storytelling: a loyal buyer returning after two decades, a display cabinet turned best-seller, a solar panel lighting up underserved regions.
At the fair, every handshake builds something that lasts longer than a single order. As the five-day trade fair drew to a close, the Ningbo booths were still buzzing with the sound of printers spitting out contracts and QR codes flashing on buyers’ phones.
In a hall where the world meets China, one city has quietly made itself heard through technology, trust, and a sharp insight into the future.
Based on an article by Yan Jin from
Ningbo Evening News.
By Pan Wenjie
Correspondent: Zhang Yangsong