Canton Fair highlights robotics and green technology in China's foreign trade

The Canton Fair, held in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, from Oct. 15 to Nov. 4, 2026, has showcased a range of intelligent robotics, including logistics robots, drink-making robots and pet-companion robots. At the booth of Hangzhou Taixi Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., overseas buyers tried a consumer waist-assist exoskeleton designed to relieve pressure on the lower limbs. Company founder Liang Linchao said the device is the first flagship product to integrate its human-oriented physical AI technology roadmap, using waist motors and sensors to detect movement and assist lower-limb mobility. Its weight has been reduced to about 2 kg, and algorithms and gait plans tailored to elderly people and hemiplegic patients have been added.

According to fair organizers, 64 percent of exhibitors have integrated the industrial internet and artificial intelligence into research, development and production, while new products accounted for 23.2 percent of exhibits, a record high. Zhang Li, an official with the Ministry of Commerce, said consumer electronics dominate this year's fair, with new energy storage, embodied intelligence and smart healthcare products drawing attention, and many cutting-edge Chinese-made products making their debut. At DSL Tech Group's booth, European buyers watched data from the AI-POOL low-chlorine intelligent pool system, which uses sensor probes to collect real-time indicators such as residual chlorine, pH level, turbidity and water pressure and automatically coordinates pumps, disinfection units and sand-filter backwash systems. Company representative Chen Meixiang demonstrated how users can receive alerts about water quality abnormalities remotely, with the system adjusting automatically so staff no longer need to visit regularly to take samples and mix chemicals.

Customs statistics cited in the report show that in the first three quarters of 2026, China's total imports and exports of industrial robots, electronic components, computer parts and electrical equipment exceeded 10 trillion yuan (1.49 trillion U.S. dollars), up 58.9 percent year on year, driving overall import and export growth by 11.3 percentage points. Liu Chun, president of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, said technological innovation and industrial upgrading are making high-tech and high-value-added products the main growth engine of foreign trade. Shandong Linuo Paradigma Co., Ltd. presented tailored plans for different regions, including solar water-heating systems for Africa, energy-saving products with high-standard certification for the Middle East and large-capacity systems for South Asia, supported by agent systems and localized service outlets in Belt and Road partner countries.

The fair also featured prefabricated products such as space capsules, portable integrated kitchens and modular homestay houses. Jia Xuehong, planning and design director of Chongqing SUNDON Prefabricated Construction and Technology Co., Ltd., said the company's prefabricated building solutions for cultural tourism camps have attracted buyers from Australia, Brazil and Saudi Arabia, with more than 300 reaching preliminary agreements. Organizers said 36.5 percent of exhibitors have begun a transformation toward "product plus service," and the trade services zone now covers all 10 major categories of producer services. Yang Jie, secretary-general of the Guangdong Industrial Design Association, said more Chinese companies are integrating design into early development stages to deliver innovative products. Xiamen HiTHIUM Energy Storage Technology showcased long-duration energy storage products, with co-founder and CEO Wang Pengcheng saying the company hopes the "Chinese solution" reaches more countries. Liang Yutian, associate dean of the Institute of International and Regional Studies at Sun Yat-sen University, said the display reflects new market demand from the global green transition. According to Mehr News, citing the Xinhua report, China has provided more than 80 percent of the world's photovoltaic modules and 70 percent of its wind power equipment over the past decade.