GUANGZHOU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- With assistance from staff, Argentine purchaser Maria Laura put on a device and took a few minutes to adjust it at the Canton Fair in Guangzhou, south China. Without any support, she took a step forward with the help of the exoskeleton.
The crowd erupted in warm applause, and her friends shed tears of joy.
"I thought I would never be able to walk on my own again!" said Laura, who has spent years in a wheelchair due to muscle weakness.
Over the years, Laura had been searching in Argentina for assistive devices that could help her stand again. However, most products on the market focus on sports scenarios, and hardly any are truly suitable for people with disabilities.
"This device helps me lift my legs and makes me feel more at ease when walking," Laura said. She hopes to wear the device and travel around the world in the future.
According to official data from the Canton Fair, the first two phases of this session have attracted 245,000 overseas buyers from 219 countries and regions, setting a new record. Pre-registration data shows that the growth in new buyers came mainly from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, with a significant increase in the number of buyers from Latin America.
From smart products such as drones and smart wearables, to emerging themes like integrated housing and fashion accessories, and green and low-carbon themes including bamboo-wood tableware and functional and tech fabrics, this session of the Canton Fair, which was held from April 15 to May 5, added nine new exhibition zones, featuring about 670 exhibitors and over 1,300 booths.
In the exhibition halls, many Latin American buyers headed straight to the newly established zones for smart wearables, consumer drones, and functional fabrics to experience new intelligent manufacturing products.
Many Latin American businesspeople are no longer satisfied with simple procurement. Instead, they hope to build local distribution networks and jointly develop region-specific products with Chinese companies.
Diana, a Venezuelan purchaser and manager of a hotel chain, said, "Previously, we purchased Chinese products through local stores, which involved long cycles and high costs." She said she hoped to skip middlemen and find Chinese suppliers of products such as carpets, decorations and coffee machines directly.
"China has a complete industrial system and a strong supply chain, offering us a wealth of choices," Diana said. She and several other purchasers noted that the one-stop solutions provided by Chinese companies significantly reduce communication and procurement costs, and they hope for long-term cooperation to expand into larger markets.
In response to the enthusiasm from the Latin American market, Chinese companies are also actively adjusting their strategies. Jiangsu Sesame Tools Co., Ltd. began focusing on the South American market last year. At this Canton Fair, many South American clients made special trips for negotiations, with on-site transactions reaching nearly 7 million U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 30 percent.
"The Canton Fair is our core platform for expanding into emerging markets. Each session brings tangible orders," said Zhu Jianhua, general manager of the company, adding that the company will continue to deepen its presence in the South American market.
Zhu Yong, director of the China Foreign Trade Center, said that the willingness of regular buyers to participate in the Canton Fair remains stable, and new buyers are mainly from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, with rapid growth from regions such as Latin America and Africa.
"The more uncertain the external environment is, the more vibrant the Canton Fair becomes. This reflects firm confidence in China's complete industrial chain and stable supply chain, and it is a vote of confidence in the Chinese economy," Zhu Yong said. ■
