Part 3/13:
One of the most noticeable trends was the near-absence of European and American buyers—the core participants that historically drove large-volume orders and technological procurement. Instead, the fair was predominantly populated by buyers from Belt and Road countries, often considered less developed economically, colloquially referred to as China's "poor relatives." A social media comment sarcastically questioned official success reports that claimed increased foot traffic and higher sales—indicating that these reports might be grossly exaggerated.