The 139th Spring Session runs from April 15 to May 5, 2026, divided into three five-day phases. These legal instruments collectively form the enforcement backbone that makes the Canton Fair’s IP protection system functional rather than symbolic. Understanding these gives you — and your legal counsel — the correct statutory foundation for any complaint or enforcement action. The legal framework for IP protection at the Canton Fair is grounded in several specific Chinese laws and regulations. The center is empowered to investigate the claim, require the removal of infringing items from display, and impose penalties on exhibitors found to be in violation. This section is where most Canton Fair guides stop short.
Several hotels offer purpose-built services for fair attendees, including complimentary shuttle buses to the complex, dedicated concierge services for buyers, and extended check-in/check-out flexibility. Processing times can vary significantly — start early to avoid missing your phase dates. Submit your M Visa application to the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate, along with your invitation letter, valid passport, completed application form, and proof of business registration. This is a last-resort option — processing times and availability can vary.
There are short break days between each phase to allow exhibitors to transition in and out. This three-week window is divided into three distinct phases, each focused on a different product category cluster. For importers, sourcing agents, and procurement professionals, few events offer this concentration of suppliers, products, and deal-making potential under one roof. Key data, legal citations, and cost benchmarks are summarized below.

Venue Details and Getting There

• Second, sourcing professionals who want a practical checklist for registration, travel, and logistics.
• This three-week window is divided into three distinct phases, each focused on a different product category cluster.
• Guangzhou also offers port visa services at points of entry for travelers who did not arrange their visa in advance.
• Experienced sourcing professionals often plan a full two-week trip when attending multiple phases.
• Your confirmed registration generates an official invitation letter, which is essential if you need a Business M Visa.
• During these break days, exhibitors are dismantling and setting up booths.

Connects multiple page views by a user into a single Clarity session recording. For legal advice specific to your situation, please consult a qualified intellectual property attorney. With over 32,000 exhibitors, 4.65 million products, and 314,000 overseas buyers from 220 countries, it remains the world’s most important sourcing event.

Scale and Participation Statistics

Your confirmed registration generates an official invitation letter, which is essential if you need a Business M Visa. However, Guangzhou participates in China’s 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy, which applies to travelers from 55 countries including the US, UK, Canada, and most EU nations. However, they only protect rights holders who have done the necessary groundwork — registered their IP in China, maintained their registrations, and documented their rights ownership properly. Knowing how they work — and preparing your IP registrations before you arrive — transforms this risk into a manageable, and even controllable, element of your sourcing strategy. With over 4.65 million products on display, the Canton Fair is both an extraordinary sourcing opportunity and a concentrated zone of intellectual property risk.

Official Canton Fair 2026 Dates at a Glance

• New buyers will need to apply for an access badge during registration.
• The statistics below are drawn from recent official session data and give you a clear picture of what you are walking into.
• This information helps us understand how visitors use our website.
• Booking travel for the wrong phase is one of the most common — and most costly — mistakes first-time buyers make.
• If you source products from a single category cluster, one phase is sufficient.
• Canton Fair dates, policies, and regulations are subject to change by the official organizers.
• The registration process for the 2026 Spring Session opens on February 14, 2026.

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Navigation inside the complex requires planning — first-time visitors often underestimate how much walking is involved. For brand owners attending as exhibitors, the same statistic is a warning. This is not a regional trade show — it is the world’s single largest sourcing event. Booking travel for the wrong phase is one of the most common — and most costly — mistakes first-time buyers make.
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However, if you plan to visit factories outside of Guangzhou or travel to other Chinese cities before or after the fair, you will need a standard Chinese business visa instead. China has implemented a visa-free transit policy that significantly simplifies entry for many international buyers. New buyers will need to apply for an access badge during registration. The registration process for the 2026 Spring Session opens on February 14, 2026. Overseas buyers must complete pre-registration before arriving at the fair. However, wildhub casino exhibition halls are heavily air-conditioned — sometimes to the point of feeling cold.
Canton Fair dates, policies, and regulations are subject to change by the official organizers. The information contained herein reflects publicly available data and is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. The fair’s own complaint mechanisms — and China’s broader IP enforcement system — only help those who have done the legal groundwork first. No other single venue puts you this close to China’s manufacturing base in this concentrated a format. If you source products from a single category cluster, one phase is sufficient.