Part 13/13:
The 138th Canton Fair has become a mirror reflecting the dramatic transformation in global trade practices amidst geopolitics and strategic competition. The decline in Western buyer participation, reinforced by escalating US-China tensions and resource restrictions, signals a fundamental shift from a China-centered global procurement network toward a more fragmented and regionalized supply chain landscape.
As nations and companies recalibrate their strategies, the once-thriving fair now seemingly echoes the uncertainties of a world increasingly divided. Whether this decoupling is temporary or signifies a new era remains to be seen, but the signs unequivocally point towards a reshaped future of international trade driven by geopolitics, resource control, and strategic independence.