The 2025 China (Guangzhou) Cross-Border E-Commerce Fair (CBEC Fair) is set to take place from August 15 to 17 at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou, with key metrics—including exhibition scale, participation, and forum quality—surpassing last year's edition, organizers announced at a press briefing on August 1.
Participation hits high with emerging market highlight
The event emphasizes a cooperation platform for emerging markets, including the first-time participation of platforms such as Daraz (South Asia), Arbela (Iraq), and Otto (Germany).
Other emerging-market platforms like JoomPro (Latin America), JUMIA (Africa), Ozon (Russia), and Onbuy (UK) will also make their presence felt, offering new opportunities for international trade expansion.
The opening day will feature the "2025 China (Guangdong)-RCEP Cross-Border E-Commerce Exchange," with Thailand—celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations with China—serving as the guest country of honor, showcasing a dedicated national pavilion to promote its products.
An AI innovation zone will debut, showcasing tools for automated copywriting, independent store setup, and AI-powered social media management, while leading compliance agencies and marketing firms, including TikTok Shop, YouTube, and Meta's official partners, will provide insights into global market entry strategies.
A total of 1,000 top-tier supply chain companies, over 40 major cross-border e-commerce platforms, and nearly 200 ecosystem service providers will attend the fair. More than 1,800 standard booths will showcase products across key industries, while over 30 high-level forums will facilitate discussions on the latest market trends and policies.
CBEC Fair press briefing on August 1
Suppliers from Guangdong's leading sectors will attend the fair, including lighting, apparel, footwear, home appliances, ceramics, jewelry, and hardware, with participation from global e-commerce giants such as Amazon, SHEIN, Temu, and Walmart.
Prominent international organizations, including the American Chamber of Commerce in China, the China-Britain Business Council, and the EU's SPEAC project, will also participate, underscoring the event's global significance.
Integration of industrial expertise with sales & service ecosystems helps navigate trade challenges
Industry leaders shared their perspectives on the evolving cross-border e-commerce landscape.
CBEC Fair press briefing on August 1st
Liu Gang, founder of the Zhongshan Lighting Industry Alliance, emphasized the need for deeper integration between manufacturing and digital platforms.
"After years of intense price competition and product standardization, we now recognize that success in cross-border trade depends on aligning industrial expertise with advanced sales and service ecosystems," he said.
Liang Guangning, Vice President of Oceanpayment, a leading Chinese cross-border payment service provider specializing in global digital payment solutions for e-commerce businesses, pointed to market uncertainties but encouraged businesses to diversify.
"Fluctuating international policies and economic conditions require companies to explore new markets and adapt swiftly," he noted.
Meanwhile, Zhang Mingchi, CEO of Puff Media, remained optimistic, citing resilient consumer demand in the U.S. despite new tariffs introduced earlier this year. "Our data shows that American purchasing power remains strong, proving that well-positioned brands can still thrive," he added.
According to China's General Administration of Customs, China's cross-border e-commerce trade reached 1.32 trillion yuan in the first half of 2025, a 5.7% year-on-year increase, outpacing the overall foreign trade growth rate of 2.9%.
Guangdong, China's foremost hub for cross-border commerce, accounted for over one-third of the national cross-border e-commerce trade in 2024, with transactions worth 745.4 billion yuan.
Reporter | Huang Xinyi, Zhang Le (Intern)
Photo | Huang Xinyi, Guangdong Commerce Bureau
Editor | Hu Nan, James, Shen He
