The 139th Canton Fair (Spring 2026), which opened in Guangzhou on April 15, has attracted over 32,000 enterprises to participate, setting a new record in scale. For the first time, the fair has established a "smart zone," covering emerging fields including drones and smart wearables, with more than 1,300 booths, making it one of the most eye-catching core sections of the exhibition.
On the opening day, the exhibition halls were packed with visitors, and there was a noticeable increase in buyers from Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries as well as Europe and the United States. In the newly established exhibition areas for smart wearables, display technology, and consumer drones at Phase I of the Canton Fair, a large number of overseas buyers made special trips to inquire and negotiate.
The drone zone, making its debut at the Canton Fair, has become a new showcase for the low-altitude economy. At the booth of Chengzhi Intelligence, a steady stream of overseas buyers gathered, with a particular photoelectric telescope for fire command drawing a dense crowd as buyers took turns trying it out. Nearby, a professional drone capable of high-rise firefighting also attracted several buyers from the Middle East and South America, who stopped to negotiate.
Liao Kewen, Chairman of Chengzhi Intelligence, stated that the fair's first-ever consumer drone zone has allowed the company to debut on this global trade platform.
"Given the current situation, we expect a possible doubling in the second quarter, mainly driven by new product launches and market expansion."
Liao revealed that new orders are mainly concentrated in BRI markets, particularly the Middle East. "Although local logistics still have uncertainties, markets like Turkey have great potential." Due to regional situations, local demand for public safety and emergency rescue continues to rise.
"Our products focus on firefighting and rescue, not military use. In certain emergencies, such as explosions or post-building-damage rescue scenarios, the demand for equipment becomes even more urgent."
He revealed that the company has assembled an R&D team of over 200 people, covering algorithm, software, hardware, and industrial design, spanning more than ten disciplines, including optics and communications. Last year, R&D investment exceeded 60 million yuan (RMB). Speaking of his experience on the first day of the fair, Liao admitted that he "was too busy to handle everything" as customers from the Middle East and South America placed orders on the spot and many more scheduled follow-up in-depth discussions.
In the newly established display technology zone, in front of large-format conference screens, overseas buyers frequently stopped to experience interactive features. "Overall, exports in the first quarter of this year are trending upward." Wang Xu, Vice President of CVTE, said that growth is particularly rapid in BRI countries and the Southeast Asian market. Data shows that in 2025, the company's overseas own-brand business grew by 54.83% year-on-year, maintaining steady growth for many consecutive years.
A Wen Wei Po reporter observed on site that buyers from Southeast Asia and the Middle East showed strong interest in "digital education + AI" solutions, engaging in in-depth discussions with staff on details such as language adaptation and local curriculum content.
"Market demands vary greatly, and localization is crucial."
Wang noted that beyond language translation, it is more important to align with local usage habits and educational systems. "Each country has different curriculum standards, requiring extensive adaptation." Currently, the company's products have entered over 140 countries and regions, with permanent teams in more than 10 countries and over 20 regional support teams to ensure rapid response.
On site, the reporter also observed that the ZXMOTO booth, making its Canton Fair debut, attracted a large number of domestic and overseas buyers and exhibitors, with many posing for photos in front of the champion model ZXMOTO 820RR.
The person in charge of the booth revealed that within just ten days after ZXMOTO achieved a "double championship" at the Superbike World Championship (WSBK) in Portugal, the company received over 20,000 orders. This year, the company will focus on expanding overseas markets.
In the smart wearable zone of this Canton Fair, a particularly striking scene unfolded: a foreign buyer strapped a black exoskeleton device onto their body, with the belt and thigh support straps fitting snugly and securely. They then walked briskly down the aisle between booths, their agile and natural movements drawing many onlookers.
The manufacturer of this eye-catching device, Conchin Technology, is a "new face" making its debut at the Canton Fair. The company's overseas business manager said that participating in the fair was actually an attempt driven by online traffic to "push the product overseas."
Last year, a video of foreign tourists testing an exoskeleton device while hiking in Zhangjiajie was uploaded to overseas social platforms, amassing over 100 million views. Around the same time, related domestic videos also exceeded 100 million views.
"During those days, phone calls came in from 8 a.m. to midnight," the business manager said. The company, originally a tech enterprise focused on domestic sales, was "forced" by the sudden surge of traffic to start its foreign trade business in the second half of last year. "Unexpectedly, within just a few months, we achieved overseas sales of about 10,000 units, with monthly growth of around 30%."
"We are very excited to participate in the Canton Fair for the first time, and we have also invited many clients to come to the site—they had all seen the aforementioned video... We handed out over 200 business cards in just one morning, and within a few hours, the device was borrowed for trial several times over."
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Ta Kung Pao; Journalists: Lu Jingyi, Shuai Cheng)
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