This photo taken on October 15 shows a scene during the 138th edition of the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. The 138th edition of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, kicked off in Guangzhou on October 15, with the number of booths reaching 74,600 and exhibitors exceeding 32,000, both record high figures in the history of this famous event (XINHUA) 

The 138th edition of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, started on October 15, with the number of exhibitors exceeding 32,000, a record high.

Scheduled to take place from October 15 to November 4 in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, this edition of the fair has also attracted a record number of buyers. As of Monday, over 240,000 buyers from 218 export markets had pre-registered, reflecting a 10-percent increase compared to the previous edition.

Among them--the number of buyers from the European Union, the United States and countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative has increased significantly. Meanwhile, more than 400 leading purchasing companies will attend the fair.

According to surveys conducted ahead of the fair, over 1 million new products developed in the past year will be showcased at this edition of fair, while around 800,000 items will make their debuts at the fair.

This edition of the Canton Fair will, for the first time, feature a smart medical zone--which has attracted 47 companies showcasing products such as surgical robots, intelligent monitoring systems and wearable devices. It will continue to feature a service robot zone, which has drawn 46 leading industry players to display their humanoid robots, robotic dogs and other innovations.

Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is held twice a year. It is the longest-running of several comprehensive international trade events in China, and has been hailed as the barometer of China's foreign trade.