Middle East Conflict Impacts Canton Fair; Middle Eastern Buyers Decrease
The 139th Canton Fair has seen a significant drop in Middle Eastern buyers due to the ongoing conflict. Chinese exporters face surging logistics costs and delayed deliveries, prompting a shift toward European and Russian markets.
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- 📰 Published: April 16, 2026 at 10:20
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(Central News Agency, reporter Zhang Qian, Hong Kong, 16th) Affected by the war in the Middle East, the number of Middle Eastern buyers participating in the 139th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) has significantly decreased.
The 139th Canton Fair opened in Guangzhou yesterday, held in three phases, and will conclude on May 5.
Ming Pao reported today that the Canton Fair has always been a "barometer" for China's foreign trade. Facing the turbulence in the Middle East, foreign trade enterprises participating in this year's exhibition generally reported rising raw material and logistics costs, as well as extended delivery cycles.
In addition to logistics and material costs, changes have also occurred in companies' market layouts.
The report quoted Gao Bin, general manager of Shenzhen Hongxujin Technology Co., Ltd., saying that the company has participated in 10 Canton Fairs. In the past, it mainly focused on the US market. In recent years, due to tariffs and data security restrictions, it has shifted to other markets, with Europe accounting for about 20%, Russia about 70%, and the Middle East about 10%.
Gao Bin also said that on the first day of previous Canton Fairs, there were already many Middle Eastern clients present, but this year there is a significant decrease, while European clients have increased.
According to reports, the scale of this year's Canton Fair hit a new high, with a total area of 1.55 million square meters, 75,700 booths, and over 32,000 participating companies. At the same time, exhibition zones increased to 179, with 9 new zones added for the first time, including smart wearables and consumer-grade drones.
However, the turmoil in the Middle East has a substantial impact on China's foreign trade business. Zhang Kai, Vice President of Guangzhou Chengzhi Intelligent Machinery Technology Co., Ltd., said the company's transportation pressure has risen significantly, and air freight costs for Middle Eastern routes have increased by about 30% compared to the same period last year.
Zhang Kai also mentioned that goods originally took a week to arrive, but now take 45 to 50 days, drastically extending the delivery cycle. The company's sales in the Middle Eastern market fell by about 30% year-on-year in the first quarter.
But he noted that the Middle Eastern market showed signs of recovery in April, "The demand in the Middle Eastern market is only delayed, not disappeared."
According to the report, Ye Zhipeng, marketing director of Guangzhou Lingdu Intelligent Technology Development Co., Ltd., also said in an interview, "We believe the war is only temporary and will end soon. Moreover, Middle Eastern clients have solid financial strength, so we are not worried about their inability to pay."
The 139th Canton Fair opened in Guangzhou yesterday, held in three phases, and will conclude on May 5.
Ming Pao reported today that the Canton Fair has always been a "barometer" for China's foreign trade. Facing the turbulence in the Middle East, foreign trade enterprises participating in this year's exhibition generally reported rising raw material and logistics costs, as well as extended delivery cycles.
In addition to logistics and material costs, changes have also occurred in companies' market layouts.
The report quoted Gao Bin, general manager of Shenzhen Hongxujin Technology Co., Ltd., saying that the company has participated in 10 Canton Fairs. In the past, it mainly focused on the US market. In recent years, due to tariffs and data security restrictions, it has shifted to other markets, with Europe accounting for about 20%, Russia about 70%, and the Middle East about 10%.
Gao Bin also said that on the first day of previous Canton Fairs, there were already many Middle Eastern clients present, but this year there is a significant decrease, while European clients have increased.
According to reports, the scale of this year's Canton Fair hit a new high, with a total area of 1.55 million square meters, 75,700 booths, and over 32,000 participating companies. At the same time, exhibition zones increased to 179, with 9 new zones added for the first time, including smart wearables and consumer-grade drones.
However, the turmoil in the Middle East has a substantial impact on China's foreign trade business. Zhang Kai, Vice President of Guangzhou Chengzhi Intelligent Machinery Technology Co., Ltd., said the company's transportation pressure has risen significantly, and air freight costs for Middle Eastern routes have increased by about 30% compared to the same period last year.
Zhang Kai also mentioned that goods originally took a week to arrive, but now take 45 to 50 days, drastically extending the delivery cycle. The company's sales in the Middle Eastern market fell by about 30% year-on-year in the first quarter.
But he noted that the Middle Eastern market showed signs of recovery in April, "The demand in the Middle Eastern market is only delayed, not disappeared."
According to the report, Ye Zhipeng, marketing director of Guangzhou Lingdu Intelligent Technology Development Co., Ltd., also said in an interview, "We believe the war is only temporary and will end soon. Moreover, Middle Eastern clients have solid financial strength, so we are not worried about their inability to pay."