Canton Fair 2026 Checklist: Dates, China eSIM, Payments and Guangzhou Tips
The 140th Canton Fair runs in three phases from 15 October to 4 November 2026 in Guangzhou. Here is the buyer's checklist for data, payments and getting around before you fly.
Quick answer: The 140th Canton Fair (autumn 2026) runs in three phases at the Canton Fair Complex in Pazhou, Guangzhou: Phase 1 on 15-19 October, Phase 2 on 23-27 October and Phase 3 on 31 October to 4 November. Before you fly: get your buyer e-invitation, fill in China's online arrival card, link a foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay, and install and fully set up your China eSIM at home.
Key takeaways
- Canton Fair autumn 2026: Phase 1 15-19 Oct, Phase 2 23-27 Oct, Phase 3 31 Oct to 4 Nov, at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Pazhou.
- Register on the official Buyer Service System for an e-invitation and buyer badge. Allow a few days to a week for the invitation.
- China's online arrival card for foreigners can be completed within 3 days before arrival on the official NIA platform.
- Alipay accepts many foreign Visa and Mastercard cards, and Guangzhou Metro gates now take foreign contactless cards too.
The first morning of a Canton Fair trip often goes like this: you land at Baiyun, walk out of arrivals, open your phone to message the supplier who promised to meet you, and nothing loads. Your home SIM is roaming at a crawl, the airport Wi-Fi wants a code sent by SMS, and the WhatsApp thread with your factory contact is stuck on one grey tick.
When is the Canton Fair 2026 and what is in each phase?
The 140th China Import and Export Fair, better known as the Canton Fair, is split into three five-day phases with changeover breaks in between. Exhibitors are grouped by product category, so check which phase covers your sourcing list before you book flights.
| Dates (2026) | Phase | Main product focus |
|---|---|---|
| 15-19 October | Phase 1 | Advanced manufacturing: electronics, machinery, vehicles, hardware |
| 20-22 October | Changeover | No exhibition days |
| 23-27 October | Phase 2 | Quality home life: home goods, gifts, building and decoration materials |
| 28-30 October | Changeover | No exhibition days |
| 31 October to 4 November | Phase 3 | Better life: textiles and fashion, health, food, leisure goods |
All three phases are held at the China Import and Export Fair Complex, 380 Yuejiang Zhong Road, Pazhou, Haizhu District. The organiser can adjust categories and hall allocations, so confirm your exhibitors on the official Canton Fair website before you lock in dates. If you plan to cover two phases, the changeover days are a good window for factory visits outside Guangzhou.
Canton Fair pre-flight checklist
- Buyer registration. Create an account on the official Buyer Service System, apply for your e-invitation and pre-register for your buyer badge. Use only the official cantonfair.org.cn domains.
- Entry documents. Check whether your passport needs a visa, qualifies for a visa-free or transit visa-free policy, or should use the fair invitation for a business visa. Confirm with the National Immigration Administration or your nearest Chinese embassy.
- Online arrival card. Complete it on the official NIA platform within 3 days before arrival. If you miss it, you can scan the QR code at the port of entry.
- Phone check. eSIM-capable and carrier-unlocked. Do this before you buy any plan.
- China eSIM installed and set up at home over Wi-Fi. Keep your home SIM active for bank codes and calls.
- Alipay and WeChat Pay downloaded, passport-verified and linked to a foreign card before departure.
- Offline copies. Hotel address in Chinese characters, badge confirmation, supplier addresses and booth numbers saved as screenshots.
- Power bank in your carry-on, within your airline's limits. Scanning, translating and photographing samples all day drains a phone by mid-afternoon.
- Business cards and an offline translation pack as a backup when the halls get crowded.
Why you need your own data at the Canton Fair
At the fair your phone is map, translator, wallet, camera and the only line to your team back home, often all within one booth conversation. This is where a working data connection earns its keep:
- Supplier chats. Most international buyers work over WhatsApp, Gmail and Google Drive. Those services are blocked on local Chinese networks, so you need a connection that reaches them.
- Payments. Alipay and WeChat Pay need live data for most scans, from coffee to taxis.
- Translation and research. Camera translation, competitor price checks and sharing catalogue photos with your team happen on the hall floor.
- Getting back to the hotel. Ride-hailing and maps when tens of thousands of buyers leave the complex at the same time.
- Laptop hotspot. Handy for sending quotes and purchase orders between meetings, if your plan allows tethering.
Does an eSIM work in China, and why set it up before arrival?
Yes, travel eSIMs work in China, but timing matters more there than anywhere else. The activation step can be blocked once you are behind China's firewall, and Google-based help pages will not load either. If the eSIM is already installed and tested at home, landing is just a matter of switching the line on.
| Option | Google, WhatsApp, Gmail | Setup effort | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel eSIM set up at home | Depends on how the plan routes traffic, see Package details | Low: install on home Wi-Fi | Buyers who want to land online |
| Local Chinese SIM | Blocked unless you run a VPN | Queue at a store, passport registration | Long stays with a local number |
| Home carrier roaming | Usually work | None | Short trips if the day pass is affordable |
| Hotel and venue Wi-Fi | Blocked without a VPN, often SMS login | Varies | Backup only |
How do foreigners pay in Guangzhou during the Canton Fair?
China runs on QR payments, and cash is accepted less often than most first-time visitors expect. The good news is that foreign cards have become far easier to use in recent years.
| Situation | What usually works | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Food courts, cafes, street snacks | Alipay or WeChat Pay with a linked foreign card | Small payments are usually fee-free, larger ones may carry a fee |
| Guangzhou Metro | Alipay ride code, or tapping a foreign contactless card at gates with card logos | Have your QR code ready before you reach the gate at rush hour |
| Taxis and ride-hailing | Ride-hailing inside Alipay, or cash and QR in taxis | Save your hotel name in Chinese to show the driver |
| Hotels and big restaurants | International cards, Alipay, WeChat Pay | Hotels may take a card pre-authorisation deposit |
| Paying supplier samples or deposits | Bank transfer or methods agreed in the contract | Never pay a large deposit to a personal QR code |
Terms and conditions
- Information only. This checklist is general travel information, not legal, immigration, financial or investment advice.
- For readers in the United States. This article provides information only. It is not an offer, solicitation or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, investment, legal or tax advice. Fizen is not offered to US Persons.
- Event details can change. Dates, venues, phases and schedules are set by the organisers and can change. Check the official website before you book flights or hotels.
- Entry rules are official-source only. Visa, travel-authorisation and arrival-card rules are set by the destination's government, differ by passport and can change. Confirm them on the official sites linked here before you fly.
- Plans vary. eSIM prices, data allowances, hotspot support and validity depend on the plan and are shown on the checkout page, which takes precedence over this article. Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked. Travel eSIMs are data-only, with no calls or SMS.
- No affiliation. Fizen is not affiliated with the Canton Fair organisers, the China Import and Export Fair Complex, Alipay, WeChat Pay, Guangzhou Metro or any carrier or app named here.
- Availability. Fizen is not offered to US Persons. Fizen is a self-custody app: your keys and recovery phrase are yours, and nobody, including Fizen, can recover them if lost.
- Full terms. Master Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Disclaimer on the Fizen site.
Sources
- Canton Fair official website
- Canton Fair: guide on invitation application
- China National Immigration Administration: online arrival card notice (via Chinese Embassy)
- INFO Guangdong: how to get to the Canton Fair Complex
- Trip.com: using Alipay with a foreign card
Information checked in September 2026. Event dates, entry rules and payment options can change: confirm on the official sources before you travel.
