by Xinhua writer Hong Zehua

GUANGZHOU, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- As packing tape sounded and exhibitors boxed up their displays, they bid farewell to buyers, promising to meet again in six months. And as the exhibition hall gradually fell silent, the 138th Canton Fair came to an end.

Officially known as the China Import and Export Fair, the Canton Fair concluded on Tuesday, having witnessed a record attendance of over 310,000 international buyers and on-site intended export deals worth a total of 25.65 billion U.S. dollars.

As a Guangzhou-based reporter with Xinhua News Agency's Guangdong branch, I am a regular at the fair. When it begins each spring and autumn, I walk through its vast exhibition halls almost every day, meeting old friends, discovering new ones, and gathering stories amid the lively hum of international trade.

Some long-time participants may feel that little changes from one session to the next, and many reporters may be tempted to move on to other stories. But I prefer to stay. Every time I walk out of those halls with stories in hand, I can feel the fair's pulse and the optimism that fuels global cooperation.

Change, in fact, is a defining feature of the Canton Fair. This spring, the 137th session introduced a new services robot zone that drew widespread attention to China's rapid progress in robotics. And this autumn's fair continued that display while launching a brand-new area dedicated to intelligent health care, bringing together 47 leading companies to showcase their surgical robots, smart monitoring systems and other innovations.

In that zone, I met Vitor Ribeiro Loreto, a Brazilian buyer who has been attending the fair for four years.

"I'm excited to find new products here because this area is a new direction for the Canton Fair," he said. He noted that Brazil has a huge potential market for smart health care, and that he hoped to find child care products.

Each session offers new surprises for those willing to explore. As my friend Canyigit Atay from Türkiye once put it: Technology adapts to products so fast in China that every six months, you can find something new.

Reconnecting with old friends is another joy of the fair. In the toy section, I visited Chen Liang, a manager at a company in Shantou, which is one of China's Special Economic Zones.

"This year has gone well. We faced some challenges early on, but with support from our overseas partners, we managed them together," he told me over cups of tea.

Chen believes stability and predictability are crucial for manufacturers, both of which the Canton Fair provides by bringing together tens of thousands of global buyers.

Meeting new friends is equally rewarding. At a booth displaying solar charging devices, I met Rateb Ciofy, a buyer from Syria. He spoke of the challenges of unstable electricity in his country, and his search for small, affordable solar chargers for households.

"China leads the world in renewable energy. These products have great potential in countries like mine," he said.

As a Chinese reporter covering economic stories, I feel proud knowing that Chinese products are improving lives around the world. And I am grateful to the Canton Fair for providing a stage where supply meets demand, year after year.

I am also happy to see buyers from around the globe leaving with smiles on their faces. Shantilal Patel, a first-time visitor from India, told me he will definitely come again next year. Roberta Gallo Friedmann, a buyer from Brazil who flew over 20 hours to attend, said the long journey had been worth it. She, too, promised to return.

Throughout the fair, I helped many buyers take photos in the exhibition halls, capturing memories of their visits. In their smiling faces, I understood why my friend, Iranian businessman Amin Khoshnavaz, once told me that the fair "has feelings and energy in it."

Every gathering ends in farewell. Yet it is comforting to know that the Canton Fair will return each spring and autumn, with new innovations, better products and endless opportunities for global trade.

So, for now, let's say goodbye and look forward to meeting again. Until then, we can continue to expect the best from the fair. ■