Canton Fair expects subdued overseas interest due to uncertain global economy

Organisers of the mainland's largest trade fair, which opens on Wednesday, expect a fall in the number of overseas traders due to uncertainty in the global economy.

The twice-yearly China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, is seen as an indicator of the mainland's probable export performance for the next six to nine months.

Last month, China's exports and imports fell by double digits.

The operator of the three-week-long fair warned yesterday that attendance by overseas buyers at this year's event could be the worst of recent years.

Liu Jianjun, spokesman of the fair and the deputy director-general of the China Foreign Trade Centre, said the fair hoped to attract 180,000 overseas buyers.

This compares to 188,000 last April and 202,000 in April 2013. The record was 210,000 overseas buyers in 2012.

Liu said he expected fewer buyers from most of China's trade partners, including the United States, Europe, Japan, Russia, Brazil and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.