Canton Fair Phase 2 closes with 278,000 overseas buyers, up 13.4%

The double-digit rise in overseas buyer attendance is the more telling signal than the headline count, since it suggests demand-side engagement held up across the fair's second phase rather than just a single category draw. The presence of organized delegations — business associations and large purchasing companies — alongside individual buyers points to institutional sourcing interest, not only opportunistic browsing. Whether that attendance converts into firm orders, and whether the momentum carries into the fair's third phase, is the open question worth tracking.