The second phase of the 139th Canton Fair in Guangzhou has concluded. But for many foreign buyers, the real work has just begun. They extended their route — from exhibition halls to actual factories.

The second phase ran from April 23 to 27. Its theme was "quality home life," featuring building materials, furniture, home decor, gifts, and decorative items. But seeing a product at a booth is one thing. Seeing how it is made is quite another.

Many foreign buyers went further, personally visiting manufacturers' production facilities to inspect operations and explore cooperation opportunities.

One leading custom furniture manufacturer in Guangzhou found itself overwhelmed with work after the second phase ended. Requests from international buyers wanting to visit factories, close deals, and place orders came pouring in.

"In just the last two days, we have already received more than 50 groups of foreign visitors at our factory," says An Yujin, head of the company's overseas sales department. "We expect another 40 to 50 groups of clients in the coming days."

Who came? Buyers from diverse regions — Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Many had doubts at first. Could the company handle large-scale production? Could it maintain stable quality?

But after seeing the "smart" factory and automated production lines, their doubts evaporated.

"The factory impressed me greatly," says a Canadian buyer. "I have visited many factories around the world. This one, with its use of AI and robotics, truly impressed me. Our main question always comes down to quality and standards — can they maintain the same quality under high-volume production? And it seems today they answered that question."

The Canton Fair runs from April 15 to May 5 in three phases. Each phase features different product categories — from advanced manufacturing to home and daily goods. The exhibition covers 1.55 million square meters, with 75,700 booths and over 32,000 enterprises. About 3,900 participants are presenting their projects for the first time.

Founded in 1957, the Canton Fair is held twice a year in Guangzhou. It is the oldest of China's major international trade events, and it is still considered the country's foremost barometer of foreign trade.

But this year, something has changed. The fair no longer ends when the exhibition center doors close. Now, it continues on factory floors — where robots assemble furniture and AI controls quality. And foreign buyers want to see it with their own eyes.