Expo showcases surprising uses for paper in Guangzhou

The 21th International Pulp and Paper Industry Expo-China (Paper Expo China) opened in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong province on Wednesday, showcasing the latest technologies and flagship products across the paper industry chain.

Running through Friday, the event brought over 200 leading domestic and international paper manufacturers and equipment suppliers.

The expo features multiple exhibition areas, including pulp-making machinery and paper-making chemical areas, covering advanced equipment, materials, design, and solutions.

Among the standout innovations at the expo is specialty paper. One exhibitor introduced washable kraft paper, a material that is not only wear-resistant and wrinkle-resistant but also biodegradable, offering a greener alternative to conventional options.

While the paper can be used for packaging bags and home decor, the real surprise comes from the exhibition booth itself. Bags and even shoes on display are made entirely from this kraft paper. The material feels similar to leather but is much lighter.

“Compared to genuine leather, this material can be sold at about one-third the price. It can last ten or twenty years without oxidation or bubbling. In contrast, PU and genuine leather, after foaming process and surface treatments, will fall apart in three to five years,” said Pan Chengzheng, a staff member from Dongguan Guangzheng Paper Industry Co., Ltd.

Another exhibitor, Guangzhou Junlong Paper Frontline Culture Co., Ltd., showcased paper with a rougher texture and excellent flexibility. The product, made from water hyacinth and rice straw fibers, features a natural, mottled appearance with visible plant fibers. Another product, crafted from sisal and mulberry root bark, offers great thickness and high tensile strength.

“Our commitment to environmental protection has been showcased in the product and be recognized by customers. Our sales and orders remain relatively stable, and some domestic companies have recommend these two types of paper to international clients,” said Lin Lin, a staff member from the company.

The event has also drawn international buyers who value the quality and reliability of Chinese paper manufacturers.

“Chinese manufacturers, they have good technology and good products. So we do business since last the 24 years with Chinese companies,” said a buyer from India.

International observers have acknowledged the historic significance of the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, saying it sent positive signals to the world.

At the invitation of Xi, Trump is on a state visit to China from Wednesday to Friday. The two leaders held talks in Beijing on Thursday.

Noting that China-U.S. economic ties are mutually beneficial and win-win in nature, Xi said he looks forward to working together with Trump to set the course and steer the “giant ship” of China-U.S. relations, so as to make 2026 a historic, landmark year that opens up a new chapter in China-U.S. relations.

“President Xi has brought with the idea of a ‘big ship.’ So, we need to cooperate, we need to be able to cooperate together to work towards harmony and peace and a beautiful future for the world. It’s very encouraging to see our two countries coming together. I think this is the step forward. I think we’re going to make progress here. So, this is great,” said Jesse P. Gates, a visiting professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, who specializes in East Asia studies.

“I think that’s an amazingly powerful statement by President Xi to President Trump. He was saying our nations should be partners rather than rivals. He said there are more interests the United States and China have in common than they have conflicts over. And that is a perspective that Americans need to hear,” said Robert Barwick, national chairman of Australia’s Citizens Party.

Some observers said the China-U.S. relationship is one of the most important bilateral ties in the world, and strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries will inspire the world.

“I would say that the meeting of today, I hope it will be historic. Historic, because these two countries have a lot to bring to humanity through discussions on supply chains and trade, discussions on the technology transition, discussions about world peace and security. So, there are high expectations. We will see the outcomes of the summit. The very fact that they are meeting in Beijing is already very good news to the world,” said Maria Fernanda Espinosa, a candidate for UN secretary general, former foreign minister of Ecuador and former president of the UN General Assembly.

“Both countries have large interconnected economies, two largest GDPs in the world, and work hard to make their people well-off. Economic prosperity is the goal number one for China and for the U.S. The key in this meeting will be, for the two leaders, to reassure their people and the world at large that the two countries agree to find win-win situation, conducing to world stability and peace,” said Jean Christophe Baron von Pfetten, chairman of the Royal Institute for East West Strategic Studies in the UK.

“This meeting is already a big success. Why? Because it’s important for the world to show that these two giant countries in terms of economy, they are getting together to discuss cooperation, coexistence, confidence, mutual trust and long-term cooperation,” said Jose Ricardo, CEO of Lide China.