Nearly 2.63 million exhibits have now been uploaded to the online platform of the upcoming 129th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, which will take place online from April 15 to 24, officials from the China Foreign Trade Center (CFTC) said on April 2.

"The preparation for the 129th Canton Fair has been carried out smoothly," said Chu Shijia, director of CFTC. "We will provide around 60,000 exhibition booths, gathering nearly 25,000 companies from home and abroad to showcase their wares. It is expected that purchasers from more than 220 countries and regions will be attracted to the event."

It will be the third time that the Canton Fair has been held online. Many foreign trade companies noted during the previous two online Canton Fairs that putting the event online has helped them gain access to more purchasers.

Exhibits in 16 categories such as electronic home appliances, machinery, building materials, consumer goods, home decoration, textile and clothing will be displayed in 50 exhibition areas.

A special exhibition area themed around rural revitalization will be set up to help companies from areas which have just escaped poverty to explore international markets. No limitations are set for the number of companies to showcase in the area, nor thresholds for the companies' levels. Meanwhile, this exhibition area is free for exhibiting companies.

Since the 122nd Canton Fair, the event has provided a total of 8,105 free exhibition booths for 6,084 companies in poverty-stricken areas, helping them save 86.69 million yuan ($13.23 million) in booth fees and achieve a total export volume of more than $1.7 billion.

In addition, online promotions have been launched, with 44 of them being held at present in 32 countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and the United States to attract the attendance of high-quality purchasers.

Other activities such as online contract signing ceremonies and online matchmaking events will be held during the 129th Canton Fair to promote trade and further expand the Canton Fair's global marketing network. 

It is estimated that 10 organizations, companies or associations from countries such as the US, Russia, Indonesia and Brazil will sign cooperation contracts with the Canton Fair to become the event's global cooperation partners.