We are Hebei Leeter Import and Export Co., Ltd ("Leeter") and our manufacturing arm, Five Star Metal, exhibits wire and mesh at the Canton Fair: Phase 1 in spring 2025 and spring 2026, and Booth 13.1B07 this autumn. This guide is what we tell first-time buyers who write to us before they fly. Everything about registration, phases and the venue comes from the organizers' own pages and attendance guide; visa and payment rules change often, so each section says where to confirm.
Which phase should you attend?
The Canton Fair is held every spring and autumn, and each session is split into three phases that show completely different products. Going in the wrong week is the most expensive first-timer mistake. For the 140th session the organizers list:
| Phase | Dates (2026) | Theme on the official site | Examples of sections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15–19 October | Advanced Manufacturing | Hardware, tools, industrial automation, machinery, vehicles, lighting, electronics, household appliances |
| 2 | 23–27 October | Quality Home Life | Building and decorative materials, sanitary equipment, furniture, ceramics, kitchenware, gifts |
| 3 | 31 October – 4 November | Better Life | Toys, apparel, textiles, shoes, bags, food, health products |
If you source wire, mesh, fasteners, hand tools or other hardware, plan for Phase 1. If you also buy building and decorative materials, sanitary ware or furniture, you will need Phase 2 as well. The organizers say section and phase arrangements can be updated, so check the official site before booking flights.
Step 1: Register and get your free badge
All overseas buyers attending in person must pre-register on the Canton Fair website; pre-registration is open year-round, so do it before you book flights. According to the organizers' badge guide (published 25 September 2026), new applications, replacements and renewals of the Overseas Buyer Badge are all free of charge. Some third-party sites still quote an on-site fee; use the organizers' notice.
Bring these to collect the badge:
- Your original ID: a foreign passport, a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao residents, or for Taiwan residents (a Chinese passport counts only with an overseas permanent-residence permit or visa).
- A business card.
- The QR-code receipt from your pre-registration.
Where to collect it. Buyers with a foreign passport are encouraged to use the alternative registration offices instead of queuing at the fair: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou South Railway Station, Pazhou Ferry Terminal, designated hotels in Guangzhou and the Canton Fair Hong Kong Representative Office. The registration offices at the complex (Areas B, C and D on the official map) are the fallback and are required for Chinese-passport holders with permanent residence abroad.
If you hold a badge from a previous session, the organizers say you can enter directly after verification, with no activation. Badges issued on a "work visa" at or before the 134th session are no longer valid.
Step 2: Do you need a visa?
The badge gets you into the fair; it does not get you into China. There are three routes:
- Visa-free entry. China currently allows citizens of about 50 countries to enter for up to 30 days without a visa, through 31 December 2026 (China Briefing and other 2026 guides list France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Japan and South Korea among them). China Briefing lists business visits among the permitted purposes; confirm with the embassy that fair attendance qualifies for your passport. The US, India and Nigeria are not on this list.
- 240-hour transit. Travellers from about 55 countries, including the US, can stay up to 10 days in designated areas if they hold an onward ticket to a third country, entering at one of 65 listed ports. 2026 guides list Guangzhou among the covered cities; confirm your exact itinerary with the airline or embassy.
- M (business) visa. The Canton Fair issues a free invitation that you use to apply for a Chinese visa; it is separate from the badge. New buyers register on the Buyer Service System, then apply for the invitation online. Apply at your local Chinese embassy or consulate.
Two points buyers ask us all the time: an invitation letter is not the same as the badge, and a badge alone is not a visa. Visa policy changes frequently, so check your passport on the official Chinese embassy or consulate site shortly before you fly.
Step 3: Getting to the complex
The Canton Fair Complex is at No. 382 Yuejiang Zhong Road, Guangzhou, in the Pazhou area of Haizhu District. It has four areas: A (Halls 1–8), B (Halls 9–13), C (Halls 14–16) and D (Halls 17–20). Our booth, Hall 13.1, Booth B07, is in Area B.
By metro is the most reliable option on busy days because it ignores road traffic. Guangzhou's own guide says to take Line 8 to Pazhou or Xingangdong station, or Line 11 to Pazhou. A Guangzhou media guide gives these exits:
| Destination | Station and exit |
|---|---|
| Area A (Halls 1–8) | Xingangdong, Exit A |
| Area B (Halls 9–13), our booth | Pazhou, Exit A or B |
| Area C (Halls 14–16) | Pazhou, Exit C |
| Area D (Halls 17–20) | Xingangdong, Exit A |
From Baiyun airport, the same guide routes you Airport South (Line 3 North Extension), Tiyu Xilu (Line 3), Kecun (Line 8), then Xingangdong or Pazhou: about 43 minutes and RMB 8 when it was published in October 2024. From Guangzhou South Railway Station, take Line 2 to Changgang, change to Line 8, and get off at Xingangdong (Area A) or Pazhou (Areas B and C). Fares and exits can change; follow the signs on the day.
For multi-day visits, the metro operator offered 1-, 3- and 5-day passes during the 139th session, sold at ticket booths inside the complex and at major stations. Check whether the same passes are offered for the 140th. Inside the complex, the organizers run electric shuttles, including one on the flyover between Areas A and B and Area C; routes and hours were published per session, so read the 140th notice.
If you take a taxi or DiDi, drivers rarely speak English. Screenshot the cards below and show the one you need.
Where to stay
Choose a hotel by how long it takes you to reach the right metro exit, not by star rating. A hotel in Pazhou or nearby Haizhu keeps the trip to the complex short; one in another part of the city adds a metro change and puts you in the same crowd at opening time. During the fair, hotel demand rises, so book once your phase dates are fixed. Some designated hotels also act as badge-collection points. The organizers' official travel agency (listed in the attendance guide, with the booking site booking.cantonfair.org.cn) offers hotel and travel booking.
A practical test: before you book, enter the hotel and "Pazhou Station, Exit A or B" into your map app and read the door-to-door time at 8 a.m.
Apps and payments to set up before you fly
- Alipay or WeChat Pay. Both let visitors link a foreign Visa, Mastercard, American Express or other international card without a Chinese bank account. Payment guides published in 2026 report that small payments (up to about RMB 200) carry no fee, larger ones can carry about 3%, and per-transaction limits changed this year. That is not an official notice, so read the limits inside the app and carry a backup card and some RMB cash.
- DiDi for taxis, with your destination set in English or by pinning the address.
- The Canton Fair app. The organizers describe it as offering attendance planning, complex navigation and image search.
- WeChat for exchanging contacts: many suppliers will ask for it, so also print WhatsApp or email on your business card.
- A data plan or eSIM installed before you land, so your maps, translation and messaging apps work from arrival.
How to spend your days
This is the plan we suggest to first-time buyers.
- Arrival day. Collect your badge at the airport or station office if you use one, check in, and find your metro exit once so the first morning is easy.
- Day 1: walk, don't buy. Visit your target halls with a target list, photograph each booth number and collect cards. Real negotiations are easier on day 2.
- Days 2 and 3: meetings. Speak to at least three suppliers in the same category, ask for a quote against the same specification, and write down MOQ, sample lead time, payment terms and packing.
- Last day: shortlist. Return to your top two or three, and ask for samples to be sent to your own address.
- Within 48 hours after the fair. Send your follow-up while the supplier still remembers you.
What we would check at any booth. A booth does not prove the stand holder is a factory. Ask for the business licence, the production address and photos of the production line, and confirm what the quote covers (material, finish, packing, loading). See our guides on FOB and CIF terms, container loading, AQL sampling and MOQ for tie wire for the questions to ask on each. The organizers also list an interpretation service centre under buyer services; ask them for terms and prices if you need a translator.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Canton Fair buyer badge free?
Yes. The organizers' badge guide says new applications, replacements and renewals of the Overseas Buyer Badge are free. You need your original ID, a business card and your pre-registration QR code.
Is the buyer badge enough to enter China?
No. The badge is for entering the fair complex. You also need either a passport that qualifies for China's visa-free entry, a visa (the Canton Fair invitation can be used to apply for one), or an eligible 240-hour transit itinerary.
Which phase should a hardware or wire buyer attend?
Phase 1, 15–19 October 2026. The official section list places Hardware and Tools in Phase 1, while building and decorative materials, sanitary equipment and furniture are in Phase 2.
Do I need to speak Chinese?
No, but taxi drivers and many shop staff outside the fair speak little English. Show the address and hotel cards, and set up a translation app before you go.
Where is Hall 13.1 and which metro exit is nearest?
Hall 13 is in Area B. The nearest metro station is Pazhou, Exit A or B (Line 8, also Line 11). Exits can change on peak days, so follow the signs.
How early should I register?
Before you book flights. Pre-registration is open year-round and the badge itself is collected on arrival.
Meet us at Booth 13.1B07
We exhibit in Phase 1, Hall 13.1, Booth B07 (Area B), 15–19 October 2026. If you want to see wire, welded and woven mesh, rebar tie wire or fencing in person, send us your product list and the day you plan to visit and we will prepare samples and a matched quote.
If you cannot find us, message us on WhatsApp at +86 135 8218 0978. Tell us which metro exit or gate you are at, send a photo of the nearest sign, and we will guide you to the booth.
Sources
- Canton Fair (official site): 140th session dates, phases and section list; Buyer Badge Guide (25 September 2026); 2026 Attendance Guide for Overseas Buyers (map, registration offices, alternative badge locations, shuttle notice for the 139th session).
- Canton Fair Hong Kong Representative Office: invitation for overseas buyers.
- Guangzhou municipal government (eguangzhou.gov.cn): metro guide for the 139th Canton Fair (lines, stations, passes).
- NewsGD: Canton Fair public transportation guide, 14 October 2024 (exits by area, airport and South Station routes).
- China Briefing: China visa-free travel policies guide (updated 2026).
- Payment-app guides published in 2026 (ChinaSimply and others): foreign-card linking, fees and limits.
