Canton Fair opens in Guangzhou: what each phase sells, buyer badges and flights for Kenyan traders

The 140th Canton Fair opened in Guangzhou on 15 October and runs to 4 November in three phases, each selling different goods, according to the schedule published by China's Ministry of Commerce. Consumer electronics are in phase 1; men's and women's clothing and kids' wear are in phase 3.

Phase 1 runs from 15 to 19 October under the theme "advanced manufacturing". The Ministry's sector list covers household electrical appliances, consumer electronics, industrial automation, processing, construction and agricultural machinery, new energy vehicles, vehicle spare parts, motorcycles and bicycles, lighting, and hardware and tools. China News Service (ecns.cn) reported that phase 1 has more than 12,000 exhibitors.

Phase 2 runs from 23 to 27 October under the theme "quality home life". It lists general ceramics, kitchenware and tableware, household items, gardening products, home decorations, festival products, gifts and premiums, clocks, watches, building and decorative materials, sanitary and bathroom equipment, furniture and fashion jewellery.

Phase 3 runs from 31 October to 4 November under the theme "better life". Its sectors include toys, children's, baby and maternity products, men's and women's clothing, shoes, bags, textile fabrics, home textiles, office supplies, food, medicines and health products, personal care products, and pet products. The Ministry's notice puts the changeover days at 20–22 October and 28–30 October.

The fair covers 1.55 million square metres and has 32,000 exhibitors, ecns.cn reported. Xinhua reported on 18 September, in a piece carried by China Daily, that more than 210,000 buyers from 196 countries and regions had pre-registered by then.

Pre-registration for overseas buyers is open all year on the fair's website, cantonfair.org.cn, the Ministry's notice says. First-time overseas buyers who have registered online can collect a buyer badge free of charge at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou South Railway Station, the Pazhou Ferry Terminal, designated hotels or the fair's Hong Kong office. China Central Television's news app reported that Guangzhou has set up 70 badge points with 628 counters at airports, high-speed rail stations, the venue and designated hotels, and that a buyer gets a badge 30 seconds after the passport is checked.

For getting around, CCTV.com reported that Guangzhou will run a dedicated Canton Fair metro timetable, that about 9,000 metro gates accept international bank cards tapped on the reader, and that more than 2,000 taxis and ride-hailing cars will be dispatched each day.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang met about 70 business representatives from nearly 30 countries and regions in Guangzhou on 14 October, Xinhua reported. He said the fair had become "a bright business card of China's opening up to the outside world", and that China would strengthen the protection of foreign-related intellectual property rights and expand market access.

Kenya Airways flies Nairobi–Bangkok–Guangzhou on a Boeing 787-8 in its northern winter 2026/27 schedule, the airline schedule website AeroRoutes reported on 10 September. KQ886 leaves Nairobi at 23:59, reaches Bangkok at 13:30 the next day, leaves at 14:40 and lands in Guangzhou at 18:35. KQ887 leaves Guangzhou at 21:40, reaches Bangkok at 23:35, leaves at 01:00 the next day and lands in Nairobi at 06:05. Each flight operates three days a week, AeroRoutes lists. Times are local. AeroRoutes said a fourth weekly flight that Kenya Airways had planned from 25 October is no longer in effect. Confirm the operating days with Kenya Airways before booking.

China supplied 24.2 per cent of Kenya's imports in 2025, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) 2026 Economic Survey shows, as reported by Business Daily on 3 May. Imports from China rose 16.5 per cent to KSh 671.2 billion. Exports to China fell 35.7 per cent to KSh 16.9 billion.

Kenyan passport holders should check the visa pages of the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi before booking. The embassy lists visa fees for Kenyan nationals, in effect since 11 December 2023, of KSh 3,000 for a single entry valid for three months, KSh 4,500 for a double entry valid for six months, KSh 6,000 for multiple entries valid for six months and KSh 9,000 for multiple entries valid for 12 months. Applications go through the Visa Application Service Centre, where the fees are paid; the centre's service fee is charged separately.