Scores of guests shared their stories while seeking opportunities for cooperation at a salon during the 135th Canton Fair in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

The event themed "Exploring the Future" was hosted by GDToday of Nanfang Media Group at the Canton Fair Complex on Monday, the opening day.

Among the event's 60 attendees were Chinese and foreign buyers, exhibitors, representatives of foreign chambers of commerce and reporters from domestic and foreign media outlets.

"For us, this edition of the fair is also important," said Umberto Naddei, member of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and the CEO of China Noi Group, adding that his company would like to introduce the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area project to its customers.

Naddei said he hopes that this edition, thanks to the "simple "visa policies, will be able to expect a greater number of Western customers.

Under China's new visa policies, with a trial period running to Nov 30, ordinary passport holders from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Malaysia are able to enjoy visa-free entry into China for up to 15 days.

Benjamin King, founder and CEO of Kinyu Supply Chain Management, shared his experience and said that doing business in China is about relationships and people.

"Many companies travel to China and to the Canton Fair to look for new products. But the most important aspect of the Canton Fair is the people," he said. "Find the right partner, make sure you communicate well with them and build a strong personal relationship and then the business will flow smoothly."

Bekar Mikaberidze, founder of One Belt One Road Georgian Business House, said: "My Canton Fair story began in 2006, when I was an undergraduate student at Tianjin University and I attended the fair with a boss of an enterprise in my country. At that time, I saw that China enjoyed a promising future.

"From then on, I kept my buyer badge and attended the fair twice a year. At the very beginning I could find clothes, furniture, lamps and other small-sized products at the fair. And this year in 2024, apart from furniture, lamps and other small-sized products, we can see the display of various machines, such as electric vehicles and photovoltaic products. These changes impress me that China is developing rapidly."

Giselle Bonet, representative of the Venezuela Chamber of Commerce and CEO of Pinchili China, said: "The Canton Fair has evolved over the past decade, adapting to the changes that the international market needs.

"The improvements in conference organization, venue, product types and technical content have enhanced the overall experience for participants, making it a significant event in the global trade landscape," she said. "I firmly believe that the Canton Fair is the best bridge to connect businesses with China."

Despite an absence in several editions of the Canton Fair in the last few years, Frangelica Liang, member of the BritCham Committee, was impressed with what she saw today.

"I was amazed this morning when I watched GDToday's live interview in the fair, seeing an amazing range of high-end manufacturing products, from consumer electronics, industrial manufacturing, hardware tools, to AI-equipped high-tech healthcare facilities, new energy vehicles, smart transportation, all showcasing the new page of China's manufacturing in high-end fields," she said.

Liang believes the Canton Fair will embark on a new journey for global trade and the manufacturing industry.

The first day of the fair saw a bustling scene of overseas buyers coming together to find the best products and suppliers. As of 5 pm on Monday, more than 60,000 overseas buyers from 205 countries and regions worldwide attended in person, an increase of 18.5 percent compared to the previous session.

GDToday contributed to this story.