Pazhou is not a small place. The Canton Fair complex has about 1.55 million square metres of exhibition space, and when the 140th Canton Fair (Autumn 2026) opens on 15 October, your phone will do real work there: the official app handles face-recognition login, booth navigation and e-catalogues, on top of the usual messages and maps.
This guide answers one narrow question: how do you keep that phone online for a Canton Fair trip? You will find the dates and sectors, the options for mobile data in China, and the plan we would pick for a typical one-phase visit. If you have already decided, here is our Mainland China eSIM.
Canton Fair 2026: Dates, Phases and Venue
The fair runs from 15 October to 4 November 2026, in three five-day phases. On the changeover days in between, exhibitors swap booths and nothing is on show.
| Dates | Phase and theme | Main sectors |
|---|---|---|
| 15–19 October | Phase 1: Advanced Manufacturing | Industrial automation, machinery, electronics and appliances, new energy vehicles, hardware and tools, lighting, service robots |
| 20–22 October | Changeover, no exhibition | – |
| 23–27 October | Phase 2: Quality Home Life | Ceramics, kitchenware, furniture, building materials, home decorations, gifts, fashion jewelry |
| 28–30 October | Changeover, no exhibition | – |
| 31 October–4 November | Phase 3: Better Life | Toys, children and baby products, clothing and shoes, home textiles, office supplies, food, medicines and health products |
Exhibitors change from phase to phase, so choose the phase that matches your product category. China's Ministry of Commerce publishes an overview of the 140th session with the full sector list and the schedule, and the organisers' attendance guide for overseas buyers covers badges and opening hours. New overseas buyers can pre-register online and collect badges at offices including Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Guangzhou South Railway Station.
All three phases are held at the China Import and Export Fair Complex, 382 Yuejiang Zhong Road, Haizhu District, usually shortened to the Pazhou Complex.
Why Mobile Data Matters at the Fair
The fair itself is partly an app. According to the Ministry of Commerce overview, the Canton Fair App covers e-catalogues, instant messaging with exhibitors, business card exchange, itineraries and navigation, and you can log in with facial recognition. It also lists an AI agent for finding exhibitors and products, and AI notes that summarise key points from a discussion. The organisers say positioning systems are deployed throughout the complex, so the app can guide you to a specific booth.
Every one of those features needs a connection. A booth-level route is no use if the map will not load, and a business card exchange only works while you are online. Whether you rely on venue Wi-Fi or on your own data is your call, but it is worth having your own line for the moments that matter.
Outside the app, the list is familiar: replying to quotes, translating a spec sheet, booking a ride back to the hotel. And if you work from a laptop, tethering it to your phone is often easier than trusting a hotel network with a purchase order.
