The 139th Canton Fair concluded on May 5 in Guangzhou, China, drawing a record wave of international buyers and putting Canton Fair drones in the spotlight as a defining new product category. According to the China Foreign Trade Centre, the 15-day event ran across three phases and welcomed 314,000 overseas buyers from 220 countries and regions, the highest international turnout the long-running fair has ever recorded. Organizers have promoted the event as China’s No. 1 Fair, and this session lived up to that billing through both attendance and product variety.
Held across roughly 1.55 million square meters of exhibition space, the event featured 75,700 booths and more than 32,000 exhibitors, including about 3,900 first-time participants. Over 4.65 million products were on display during the run. Organizers said new products, green products, and goods carrying independent intellectual property rights made up 23 percent, 22 percent and 25 percent of the lineup respectively, reflecting what they called the “new, green and smart” direction of “Made in China” and “Made in Guangdong.” More than 600 new-product launch events were staged on site, with the number of new products introduced rising 27 percent and showcases tied to emerging future industries climbing 30 percent compared with prior sessions.
Canton Fair Drones Anchor New Specialized Zones
Nine specialized exhibition zones were rolled out for this session, and unmanned aerial vehicles took a prominent place in the lineup. Phase I introduced dedicated areas for consumer drones, agricultural drones, smart wearables and display technology. Phase II followed with zones for bamboo and wood household products and tableware, integrated housing and outdoor facilities, and trendy accessories. Phase III added a zone for functional and technical fabrics. Across these specialized areas, nearly 670 enterprises set up more than 1,300 booths to highlight fresh developments in their respective industries and connect directly with foreign procurement teams.
The fair also debuted AI-enabled scenarios for the first time, including robotic patrol inspections and drone flight demonstrations on the show floor. Inside the venue, a bipedal humanoid robot called the PHYBOT C2, capable of playing badminton, drew interest from buyers eager to test its skills. The aerial demonstrations built on momentum from earlier Canton Fair activities that have brought Chinese unmanned aerial system makers closer to international audiences. Canton Fair drones are now positioned as a launchpad for new commercial models targeting overseas buyers.
Guangdong’s “New Three” Exports Lift Drone Industry Profile
The strong showing in Guangzhou aligned with Guangdong province’s broader trade picture. In the first quarter of the year, the province ranked first in China for import and export volume, national share, incremental growth and contribution rate. Provincial exports reached 1.53 trillion yuan, up 14.3 percent year on year, while imports climbed 27.8 percent to 1.01 trillion yuan. Import gains were broad-based and led by what officials describe as the “old three” categories of mobile phones, computers and home appliances, alongside garments and luggage.
At the same time, Guangdong’s “new three” categories posted notable export growth. Outbound shipments of 3D printers, drones and digital cameras increased 136.9 percent, 51.2 percent and 60.2 percent respectively in the first quarter. Officials linked the surge to what they called “new quality productive forces” gaining traction in international markets. Self-owned brand exports also expanded 38 percent, lifting branded shipments to 26.6 percent of Guangdong’s total export value for the quarter. The double-digit growth in drone exports helps explain why Canton Fair drones featured so visibly in this session.
Direct Buyer Engagement Powers Global Trade Momentum
The Canton Fair has been described as a vital window into China’s opening-up policy and a barometer of its foreign trade, evolving alongside the country’s economy over its roughly 70-year history. Many Guangdong enterprises used the trade event platform to engage directly with international buyers and lock in orders, helping the province maintain its top national position in foreign trade scale. Organizers said the expanded zones and live demonstrations helped the venue keep pace with shifting buyer interests across industries from consumer electronics to advanced manufacturing.
In turn, Guangdong’s industrial momentum continues to feed back into the fair itself. The province’s broad manufacturing base, deep supply chain network and steady stream of new products and technologies have helped sustain the event’s global pull. With drones, robotics and smart goods sharing the floor with traditional consumer categories, the 139th edition has set a benchmark for how the long-running fair plans to evolve as Chinese exporters move further up the value chain in the years ahead.
