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How the US-China trade war roller coaster affected the Canton Fair

Weeks of tariff anxiety end in hope, as trade truce brings relief to country’s oldest exhibition of its kind

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The biannual China Import and Export Fair, better known as the Canton Fair, opened in Guangzhou in Guangdong province on October 15. Photo: Kyodo
He Huifengin Guangdong
The Canton Fair, considered a barometer of China’s foreign trade and manufacturing outlook for the next six to nine months, has concluded in Guangzhou as dramatically as it began.
Three weeks ago, the exhibition hall was shrouded in gloom. Just days before China’s largest and oldest trade exhibition opened on October 15, US President Donald Trump had threatened to impose an additional 100 per cent tariff on Chinese goods.
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The announcement sent shock waves through the fair, plunging exporters into a state of anxiety and uncertainty.

But the closing scenes on Tuesday were starkly different. After the US and China reached a phased trade agreement last week that partially rolled back tariffs, exporters finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“This year has been incredibly tense,” said Cindy Wang, sales manager at Tianjin Lucky Toy. “US tariff policies changed too often, and no one dared to quote prices or place orders.”

“We can finally catch our breath,” said Lily Zhang, a toy exporter from Zhangping in Fujian province. “Three weeks ago, we thought the US market would be gone. Now, at least this year seems steady.”

A buyer talks to an exhibitor during the 138th edition of the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong province, on November 2. Photo: Xinhua
A buyer talks to an exhibitor during the 138th edition of the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong province, on November 2. Photo: Xinhua

Zhang said American clients had shown renewed interest in restocking goods, adding that she expects 2026 to be a far better year.

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“Even though most American buyers skipped the fair, they’ll gradually resume orders under the new tariff terms.”

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