Canton Fair 2026: which phase covers electronics, how to register, and how to use the fair to find real suppliers — not just walk booths.
Canton Fair is the largest trade fair in China and one of the largest in the world. It runs twice a year in Guangzhou, draws over 200,000 overseas buyers per session, and covers nearly every product category manufactured in China. For electronics buyers specifically, it is a concentrated opportunity to meet factory representatives, handle physical samples, and build relationships that are difficult to replicate through Alibaba messaging.
It is also easy to waste entirely if you walk in without a plan.
What Canton Fair actually is
The official name is the China Import and Export Fair. It is held at the Pazhou Convention and Exhibition Complex in Guangzhou, about 40 minutes from Shenzhen by high-speed rail and directly accessible from Guangzhou metro line 8 (Pazhou station).
The fair runs in three consecutive phases per session, each lasting five days:
| Phase | Categories | 2026 Spring dates | 2026 Autumn dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Electronics, lighting, vehicles, machinery | Apr 15–19 | Oct 15–19 |
| Phase 2 | Consumer goods, gifts, home decor | Apr 23–27 | Oct 23–27 |
| Phase 3 | Textiles, shoes, office supplies, food | May 1–5 | Nov 1–4 |
If you're sourcing electronics, Phase 1 is the relevant session. The other phases will have exhibitors from adjacent categories (packaging, accessories, components) but the core electronics hall is Phase 1.
Who exhibits at Canton Fair
Canton Fair exhibitors are a mix:
- Trading companies that represent multiple factories but don't manufacture themselves. These are the majority of booths in many halls. They are useful for price discovery but not for factory-level quality control.
- Manufacturer-exporters that have their own production facilities and export licenses. These are who you want to find.
- OEM/ODM factories that produce under buyer specifications. Common in electronics, especially for custom products.
You cannot always tell from the booth which type you're dealing with. Ask directly: "Do you manufacture this product in your own factory, or do you source it from a manufacturer?" A legitimate manufacturer will answer without hesitation and offer factory visit dates. A trading company will often deflect.
Before you go: preparation that actually matters
Define what you're looking for in writing. Bring a one-page product specification: dimensions, key functions, target unit cost, certifications required (FCC, CE, RoHS), and your estimated annual volume. Factories qualify buyers the same way buyers qualify factories. Walking into a booth with vague requirements produces vague responses.
Pre-screen exhibitors online. The Canton Fair website (cantonfair.net) publishes the exhibitor list before each session, searchable by product category and company name. Cross-reference interesting companies on Alibaba or 1688 to see their transaction history, product range, and customer reviews. Arrive with a shortlist of 10–15 specific booths to visit rather than navigating the hall ad-hoc.
Register early. Overseas buyer registration is free and done on cantonfair.net. The process generates an e-badge. For Phase 1 especially, the halls are crowded on days 1–2; some experienced buyers arrive on days 3–4 when foot traffic drops and factory reps have more time to talk.
Book accommodation months in advance. Hotels near Pazhou — particularly the area around Canton Fair Complex metro station — sell out at significant premiums for Phase 1 week. The Guangzhou International Hotel and hotels in the Tianhe district (with a short metro commute) are alternatives. Budget $120–250 per night for reasonable options during fair week.
At the fair: what to actually do
Collect samples and catalogs selectively. Every booth will offer catalogs; most will have display samples. You cannot carry 200 catalogs home. Focus on: actual product samples of items that match your spec, the factory's written certifications (CE, FCC, RoHS — ask to photograph them), and the business card of a specific sales engineer, not just the booth rep.
Ask the right questions. Generic questions get generic answers. Specific questions that indicate you know the product reveal whether you're talking to someone technical or just a booth salesperson:
- "What's your standard PCB layer count for this module, and what substrate material do you use?"
- "Is your FCC certification for the module or the finished product?"
- "What's your typical yield rate on your SMT line for this product?"
- "Which certifications do you have in-house versus third-party lab?"
A factory with real manufacturing depth will give you specific answers. A trading company representative often cannot.
Schedule follow-up factory visits on the spot. If a booth looks promising, ask for a factory visit during or immediately after the fair. Shenzhen and Dongguan are 40–90 minutes from Guangzhou by high-speed rail; a factory visit adds one day to your trip and is worth far more than the booth interaction alone. A factory audit during this window gives you actual production evidence — equipment, floor area, workforce, QC process — rather than a showroom impression.
Take photos systematically. Product samples, certificate documents, booth layout, equipment photos if you visit the factory. You will not remember which company had which product after visiting 15 booths in a day.
What Canton Fair cannot do for you
Canton Fair accelerates supplier discovery; it does not replace due diligence.
A factory with an impressive booth may have inconsistent production quality, incomplete certifications, or sub-factory sourcing arrangements you don't know about. A factory with a modest booth may be a genuinely excellent manufacturer. The booth is a marketing exercise, not a factory audit.
Do not sign contracts at the fair. Do not wire deposits to suppliers you've known for three days. The correct sequence is: find candidates at the fair → verify factories through audit and sample evaluation → place trial orders → scale. Sourcing from China without this verification step is where most buyer problems originate.
Canton Fair also does not give you direct access to the best factories in every category. Many of the strongest manufacturers in Shenzhen and Dongguan do not exhibit at Canton Fair — they have enough inbound business and find the cost and logistics of exhibiting not worth it. Industry-specific sourcing channels (trade directories, referrals, targeted factory outreach) reach suppliers who don't show at Guangzhou.
The autumn 2026 session: what to expect
Phase 1 of the Autumn 2026 session runs October 15–19, which aligns with the tail end of the Q4 production window. If you're attending to source products for Q4 2026 delivery, you are too late for standard ocean freight timelines — use this session to find suppliers for Q1–Q2 2027 production instead.
If you're attending specifically to establish supplier relationships for ongoing sourcing rather than an immediate order, the autumn session is a strong opportunity. Factory reps are often more available and willing to have detailed conversations in October than in April, when order pressure is higher.
The most practical use of a Canton Fair trip for a buyer sourcing electronics in volume: two days at the Phase 1 hall to shortlist 5–8 candidates, then two days in Shenzhen and Dongguan doing factory visits on the most promising leads. That five-day trip produces better sourcing outcomes than a week of walking booths without follow-up.
If you want help identifying which factories to visit or need someone to handle the factory audit and sample evaluation while you're in China, get in touch before the session.
