The 139th session of the Canton Fair, officially known as the China Import and Export Fair, opened this April in Guangzhou, attracting more than 210,000 overseas buyers from around the world.
As one of the largest and most influential trade events globally, the fair has long served as a window into China’s manufacturing power. This year, it is also offering a glimpse into a more subtle, but potentially significant, shift in global trade.
Walking through the exhibition halls, the scale and diversity are striking. From AI-powered exoskeletons to cutting-edge humanoid robots, Chinese innovation is on full display.
Yet beyond these headline-grabbing technologies, many buyers are focused on more immediate, real-world needs.
“In the era of AI and computing power, energy products are crucial,” said Lin Dandan, a sales manager at KEYPOWER Equipment, highlighting strong demand for generators and load systems used in data centers across Southeast Asia.
For buyers from the Global South, the priorities are even clearer.
Aloysius, a Nigerian buyer, pointed to persistent electricity shortages and rising fuel costs, “We’re switching from petrol to green energy.”
Siycha, a Philippine trader, echoed this sense of urgency, citing high diesel prices, “We have no choice—we have to adapt.”
Products like affordable solar kits and electric transport solutions are not just innovations, but practical answers to ongoing challenges.
“We help the local to set up their own solar panel capacity, so that they can manufacture solar products locally by themselves,” said Frank Lin, sales director at Topray Solar.
But beyond what is being traded, how transactions are conducted is also beginning to change. Buyers and sellers noted a growing preference for settling deals in Chinese yuan rather than US dollars.
“For me, I prefer the Renminbi (RMB),” said Siycha, pointing to the volatility of the dollar against local currencies.
“If we use RMB, there’s no exchange loss,” explained Lin.
This reflects a broader trend. In 2025, cross-border yuan settlements exceeded 17 trillion yuan—four times the level in 2017, before the onset of the China-US trade tensions.
As geopolitical uncertainties and trade barriers increase, more emerging markets are seeking alternatives to the dollar.
At the Canton Fair, the world is not only sourcing from China, but might also be gradually shifting toward settling in its currency.
Reporter: Xie Hongzhou
Cameraman: Deng Yingheng
Video: Deng Yingheng
Poster: Lai Meiya