The 131st China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair, concluded on Sunday in south China's Guangzhou City. Due to the pandemic, this year's fair was held online to connect global buyers and suppliers.

The 10-day event has attracted a record-high 25,000 exhibitors from home and abroad. Millions of visitors from over 228 countries were able to check out the more than 3 million products demonstrated online, with over 2.9 million exhibits displayed. Over 480,000 exhibitions highlighted green and low carbon efforts.

The fair set 50 exhibition zones, covering 16 commodity categories. The sections for planting accessories, hardware, pet products and home appliances are the most popular. Other goods like luggage, chemical products and vehicles have also been eye-catching, per the web page traffic data.

The fair also has a "rural vitalization" zone for agriculture products. Organizers told CGTN that they hope to present more opportunities for suppliers from the less developed areas of China. "The virtual form of the event could boost cooperation and help participants identify business opportunities," said Xu Bing, spokesperson for the Canton Fair and deputy director general of the China Foreign Trade Centre.

Digitalization was focus of this year's fair, as the event further demonstrates China's resolve to stabilize the global industrial and supply chains, and further embrace the digital economy amid the protracted COVID-19 pandemic.

Given the online platform is the main venue for global buyers and suppliers, this year's event saw business and marketing being conducted through modern methods, like livestreaming, VR factory tours, online negotiating rooms and an immersive shopping experience. 

Still, to match with the vibrant online dynamic, offline development of 5G data centers, smart transportation, and IoT projects are under construction around China.

"Online exhibition conforms to the development trend of the digital economy, and is a practical choice considering the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Wang Shouwen, China's vice minister of commerce.

China's foreign direct investment reached 379.87 billion yuan ($59 billion) in the first quarter of 2022, up 25.6 percent year on year. Many multinational companies are setting up new projects or new production lines in China, despite the resurgence of COVID-19.

While free-trade deals of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Belt and Road Initiative have been hot topics at the fair, many enterprises have been trying to seize the chance to upgrade their investment within the regions, thanks to technology advancements, better tax policies, lower costs and an increasing number of orders.