A Robot Serves Coffee and a Revolution Brews
Standing amid a throng of eager visitors at the 139th China Import and Export Fair, one could witness a moment that encapsulates decades of economic transformation. Attendees queued in lines stretching 30 meters, three rows deep, not for traditional consumer goods, but for the chance to play badminton against a humanoid robot. This scene at the Canton Fair, which opened April 15 in Guangzhou, illustrates a profound shift in global manufacturing that extends far beyond the exhibition halls.
The 139th session marks the first event of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), and it arrives with an all-encompassing technological aura. Service robots have become the undisputed stars of the show. A humanoid robot developed by Ti5 Robot waves to global purchasers more than 7,000 times each day, while the COFE+ robotic coffee maker brews approximately 800 cups daily as international buyers rush to sample the latest innovations. Many visitors make video calls with their families or livestream their experiences while waiting for Dobot robots to craft ice cream for them. These interactions represent more than novelty; they signal the completion of a journey from Chinese manufacturing to Chinese intelligent manufacturing, and finally to Chinese creation.
Three Decades of Evolution
To understand the significance of the current exhibition, one must trace the evolution across recent Five-Year Plan periods. During the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), the Canton Fair remained dominated by traditional light industry and basic mechanical and electrical products. China’s export strength rested primarily on massive production scale, with exhibits embodying the confidence of a manufacturing powerhouse through volume rather than technological distinction.
After entering the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period, the “new trio” of new-energy vehicles (NEVs), lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products quickly took center stage from the 129th to the 138th sessions. Green, low-carbon, and independent technologies became the dominant themes, with globally competitive Chinese brands emerging to signal the nation’s move toward high-end, intelligent, and green development. At the 133rd session held in April 2023, an unmanned helicopter became the star attraction and a “must-visit” for global buyers, while new exhibition zones opened specifically for industrial automation equipment and intelligent NEVs.
Now, as the first session held in the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the 139th Canton Fair has completely refreshed its center stage. Artificial intelligence terminals, low-altitude economy equipment, humanoid robots, smart wearables, and other frontier products have replaced the hardware of previous eras. The technological progress visible at the fair moves from competing on scale to competing on innovation, from catching up to leading, reflecting China’s step-by-step advancement in science and technology.
Record Numbers and Global Reach
The scale of the 139th session reaches unprecedented dimensions, setting new historic benchmarks across every metric. The fair spans 1.55 million square meters with 75,700 booths, hosting over 32,000 participating enterprises including more than 11,000 “Little Giant” firms. These specialized and sophisticated enterprises represent the pinnacle of China’s manufacturing excellence and innovation capacity. As of April 9, over 210,000 overseas buyers had pre-registered for the event, with 290 major global retail leaders confirming attendance, representing a 30 percent year-on-year increase.
According to Zhu Yong, head of the China Foreign Trade Centre, the Canton Fair is evolving in line with national development goals to promote the integration of trade and investment. The fair has expanded to 179 specialized exhibition sections, featuring the debut of nine new zones dedicated to cutting-edge sectors such as smart wearables, display technologies, consumer drones, agricultural drones, and prefabricated housing. These additions reflect a strategic shift toward high-tech, high-value exports, allowing a new wave of Chinese enterprises and technologies to reach the global stage.
The profile of Chinese exhibitors is undergoing a profound structural transformation. Currently, 60 percent of participating companies showcase their own independent brands, while nearly 20 percent have expanded their footprint through outbound investment. Most significantly, over one-third of these firms have transitioned from traditional product sales to an “export plus service” model, integrating 210 specialized institutions to provide customized, high-tech support ranging from AI-driven quality inspection to intelligent supply chain management.
Intelligent Machines Capture the Spotlight
The service robot exhibition hall has become one of the most popular destinations at the fair, with organizers forced to limit the number of visitors allowed inside simultaneously due to overwhelming demand. The technological demonstrations on display extend from hospitality to industrial applications, showcasing how artificial intelligence is reshaping physical interaction.
One humanoid robot from Ti5 Robot draws crowds by playing badminton with visitors, reacting in under a second to fast-approaching shuttlecocks. Wang Mengdi, head of branding for the company that developed the robot, explained the technical achievement.
“Through multi-stage learning, the robot has developed multiple degrees of wrist freedom, enabling it to replicate human wrist motion,” said Wang Mengdi. “It can execute forehand, backhand, and high-clear shots, making it a capable ‘badminton partner.'”
Nearby, the COFE+ robotic coffee maker operates continuously, while Dobot robots serve ice cream to visitors who document their experiences for social media. These consumer-facing applications represent just one layer of the intelligent transformation. In one demonstration that highlighted the integration of low-altitude economy technologies, a buyer from Saudi Arabia named Osama ordered milk tea via the Canton Fair mobile app. Minutes later, a drone carrying an orange delivery box landed at a designated pickup point, where a humanoid robot retrieved the drink and handed it over.
“Very cool! This is my first time experiencing drone delivery,” said Osama. “In such a large venue, I didn’t have to queue or walk around. It’s fast and completely new.”
Other buyers explored electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Juan, a buyer from Brazil, examined an ultra-light eVTOL flying cart developed by Yufei Aviation, carefully asking about payload, speed, and safety features before concluding that the product held strong market potential in his home country. These interactions demonstrate how the fair functions as a testing ground for emerging technologies that blend physical and digital infrastructure.
Beyond Consumer Goods to Industrial Depth
While consumer-facing robots generate viral moments, the industrial exhibits reveal the depth of China’s technological infrastructure. Gree Electric, participating for 31 consecutive years, presented 130 products at its largest exhibition area in Canton Fair history. Over 80 percent of these products feature AI, green energy-saving, or other advanced technologies.
The company’s SilenzX series ultra-quiet air conditioners reduce outdoor unit sound pressure to 29 decibels, far below the industry average of 42 decibels, backed by 137 invention patents. Gree has also implemented R290 eco-friendly refrigerant technology across its entire product matrix, while its photovoltaic air conditioning system achieves “zero carbon emissions, zero electricity bills, and zero waste.” The GMV 9 series operates in temperatures ranging from -35 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius, demonstrating full-stack technological autonomy from core components to system integration.
In the industrial automation halls, the evolution of low-voltage circuit breakers illustrates the shift toward intelligent manufacturing. Traditional safety devices have transformed into smart, data-generating nodes within energy management ecosystems. Manufacturers like MAXGE and CNC Electric have unveiled solutions that utilize sensors to monitor current, voltage, temperature, and power quality in real-time, transmitting data to cloud-based platforms for predictive maintenance. These smart breakers can reduce troubleshooting time and extend equipment lifespan while cutting repair costs by up to 30 percent.
The industrial exhibits also highlight responses to global supply chain pressures. With silver prices rising from approximately $29 per ounce in early 2025 to over $120 per ounce in early 2026, and copper reaching record highs, manufacturers are adopting aluminum alternatives and modular designs to maintain cost efficiency without compromising safety. This adaptability underscores the resilience of Chinese industrial supply chains amid raw material volatility.
From Manufacturing Powerhouse to Brand Creator
The shift from “Made in China” to “Created in China” appears most clearly in the stories of individual exhibitors who have transformed their business models over decades. First-time exhibitors at each session typically represent the future of China’s technology sector, showcasing innovative technologies and fresh ideas. At the 139th edition, ZXMOTO, a championship motorcycle manufacturer, became a sensation among visitors.
A Singaporean buyer waiting at the ZXMOTO booth expressed surprise at the company’s rise.
“I never imagined a Chinese brand could enter the motorcycle market and become the world’s No.1,” the buyer remarked, while aiming to secure agency rights for Singapore and Cambodia.
Veteran companies tell equally compelling stories of perseverance and self-improvement. One exhibitor who has attended 40 sessions of the Canton Fair shared his company’s transformation. Twenty years ago, his firm produced irons as an original equipment manufacturer for German clients. Today, those former German partners compete to secure exclusive European distribution rights for his company’s smart steam irons and AI-powered fully automatic coffee machines. The company has accumulated more than 2,600 patents, with over 400 still valid, more than half of which are invention patents.
This transformation reflects a broader trend. Currently, 70 percent of Gree’s total export volume comes from independent brands, a figure that exceeds 85 percent in Belt and Road countries. As one of the first Chinese home appliance companies to venture overseas, Gree now operates in more than 190 countries and regions. These veteran exhibitors, with their complete supply chains and ability to keep up with technological trends, have successfully completed their intelligent transformation while maintaining the solid foundation of Chinese manufacturing.
Navigating Global Trade Currents
The Canton Fair operates within a complex global economic environment characterized by trade fragmentation and shifting geopolitical alignments. Yet the event demonstrates China’s continued commitment to high-level openness and two-way trade. Data from the General Administration of Customs shows that China’s goods trade grew by 15 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, with exports increasing by 11.9 percent and imports rising by 19.6 percent.
This import growth reflects China’s expanding consumption potential and evolving consumer preferences. The country is implementing zero-tariff treatment on imports from 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, effective May 1, 2026. These measures facilitate smoother international participation and promote favorable conditions for imports during the fair, which introduced its first import section at the 101st edition in 2007.
The interplay between consumption upgrading and market openness offers opportunities for international businesses. As household incomes rise in regions like Zhejiang Province, where per capita disposable incomes exceeded 70,000 yuan ($10,262) in 2025, demand grows for higher-quality products and emotional spending experiences. The Canton Fair and concurrent events like the China International Consumer Products Expo in Hainan create platforms where “selling to the world” meets “buying from the world.”
Against the backdrop of protectionist measures elsewhere, the fair represents what officials describe as “symbiotic globalization,” offering a viable alternative for rules-based economic cooperation. German household appliance company Severin has participated for over 30 years, while buyers from Belt and Road partner countries, Latin America, and Africa are driving significant registration increases. This diversity of participation highlights the fair’s role as a barometer of global trade sentiment.
The Bottom Line
- The 139th Canton Fair marks the first event of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), featuring over 32,000 exhibitors and 210,000 pre-registered overseas buyers across 1.55 million square meters.
- Humanoid robots, AI terminals, and low-altitude economy equipment have replaced traditional machinery as the main attractions, with service robots like Ti5 Robot and COFE+ drawing massive crowds.
- The fair demonstrates a structural shift from original equipment manufacturing to independent brand creation, with 60 percent of exhibitors showcasing proprietary brands and over one-third adopting “export plus service” models.
- Green technology and intelligent manufacturing dominate the exhibition, with companies like Gree presenting 130 products, over 80 percent of which feature AI or energy-saving technologies.
- China’s import growth of 19.6 percent year-on-year, alongside new zero-tariff policies for 53 African countries, highlights the country’s pivot toward two-way trade and consumption upgrading.
- The evolution from “Made in China” to “Created in China” reflects three decades of technological advancement, moving from competing on manufacturing scale to competing on innovation and intellectual property.
