(Yicai) Oct. 17 -- The ongoing China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, is attracting a lot of interest from customers across Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, despite ongoing tariff concerns. Chinese home appliance makers in particular are noticing a recovery and expect exports to keep growing this quarter.

The latest Canton Fair, which is a semi-annual event held in Guangzhou in the spring and autumn each year, is packed with foreign buyers. At Skyworth’s booth, the conference rooms on the second floor are fully booked, with buyers from the Middle East, Africa and Latin America locked in heated business discussions.

One South American buyer at Changhong Electric’s stand told Yicai that he is impressed by Chinese television sets due to the way they integrate artificial intelligence features with sleek designs.

Even with challenges such as fluctuating tariffs, Chinese customs data shows that in the first eight months, China’s exports of white goods climbed 3.8 percent year on year to USD90 billion, while the export volume jumped 7.9 percent to 6.3 billion units.

Dreame Technology's washing machine division bagged around 20 tentative orders on the first day of the Canton Fair, a representative told Yicai. Customers hail from Southeast Asia, southwestern Europe and northeastern Europe and their orders extend into next year.

The United States, Europe and China each account for 30 percent of revenue at Kingclean Electric, a leading exporter of vacuum cleaners. The remaining revenue comes from Japan, South Korea and emerging overseas markets.

"We are actively exploring new markets," said Yang Yuechao, marketing director for overseas markets at Kingclean. This year’s Canton Fair has seen a good international turnout, particularly from Europe, the Middle East, Brazil, Japan, South Korea and Australia. He expects exports to grow in the fourth quarter, with more opportunities next year.

"Exports are showing signs of recovery," said He Xingyue, head of the marketing department at Changhong Smart Display International. At the Spring Canton Fair, overseas buyers were cautious due to tariff uncertainties. Many countries had a three-month buffer period for tax rates, so international orders were conservative back in April. But most buyers have now adapted to the changing trade environment.

Changhong's global factory network helps the Mianyang-based company to respond more flexibly, He said. The upcoming FIFA World Cup next year is expected to boost demand for color TVs in South America and Europe, contributing to the recent increase in orders, he added.

He expects exports to continue to grow in the fourth quarter and is optimistic about next year as well. Overall, the market looks set for a modest rebound in 2026 compared to 2025. Overseas demand was suppressed in the first half, but it started to explode in the second half and this will continue into next year.

Editor: Kim Taylor