Guangzhou was a major terminus of the maritime Silk Road, a historical sea trade route that began over 2000 years ago.

In the Qing Dynasty, the city was the only Chinese port accessible to most foreign traders for 85 years.

CAO CHUFENG, Whampoa Village, Guangzhou "This is Whampoa village. It sits just beside the Pearl River. There are similar kinds of villages in Guangdong Province, but this one is special. It was a focal point of the old maritime silk road."

HUO CUIFEN, Docent, Whampoa Anchorage Museum "In 1757, when Emperor Qianlong issued the imperial decree of 'Sole port for trade', most ships from the West had to stop at Whampoa. According to statistics, from 1757 to 1838, 5,107 merchant ships stopped here."

At a museum in the village, you can also find art pieces that were created as result of foreign trade at the time.

HUO CUIFEN, Docent, Whampoa Anchorage Museum "This is Canton Enamel, it was developed at the beginning of the Qing dynasty as a result of foreign trade. Craftsmen used Western techniques to paint on the white porcelain."

Also located along the Pearl River, is the venue for the China Import and Export Fair, or Canton Fair. It's China's oldest and largest trade fair first held in Guangzhou in 1957.

DING SHAODAN, Deputy Director of Secretariat, China Import and Export Fair "Choosing Guangzhou as the place to hold Canton Fair shows the wisdom of our officials. Guangzhou has been a trade hub for thousands of years. The city is itself a brand when it comes to foreign trade."

Decades ago, most of the products at the Canton Fair was agricultural related, and buyers were mostly from Hong Kong and Macao. Today, various kinds of products are seen at the fair, and it attracts hundreds of thousands of buyers each year from across the world. Ding says changes at the Canton Fair also show the development of China's economic and international relations.