China Green Exhibition Development Report (2026) Released in Tianjin, Defining Exhibitions as a National Strategic Pioneer Industry


The 9th CIIE closed in Shanghai on 10 November with five core metrics at record highs at once: 4,142 exhibitors, 440,000 square metres of exhibition space, over 300 Fortune Global 500 and industry leaders, 485 debuts, and $85.45 billion in one-year intent deals, up 2.3 per cent year on year. More than 2,000 firms exhibited for the first time.
The 140th Canton Fair closed on 4 November in its 70th anniversary year. A record 352,000 overseas buyers attended and a buyers' alliance was launched with 58 members from 32 countries. New products made up 23.2 per cent of exhibits and green products 26 per cent.
The Wuzhen Summit is in its thirteenth year and the China Internet Conference in its 25th, while the industry's focus has moved from the internet to AI. A name expires only when it can no longer describe whose problem the show solves.
MFA spokesperson Mao Ning said the Canton Fair, CIIE and other major exhibitions are important windows for China to connect with the world, empower development and benefit the people; Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 140th Canton Fair and Premier Li Qiang addressed its opening ceremony.
A single ticket stub can unlock nearly seven times its value in related spending, making the integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports and exhibitions a new lever for urban consumption. But integration is no mere platter of sectors. What truly produces a chemical reaction, this article argues, is the supply of quality content; what ultimately counts is the power of content appeal, institutional coordination and urban governance.
The General Office of China's State Council has issued guidelines on developing sports events to stimulate consumption, setting a goal of basically forming a modern event system by 2030 through 17 measures across five areas. Drawing on interpretations by the Sports Economy Department of the General Administration of Sport of China, a Central University of Finance and Economics professor and market observers, the article notes that events combine three functions - engine of the sports industry, catalyst for urban and regional economies, and pressure valve for social sentiment. Issuance by the State Council General Office signals an upgrade to cross-department coordination, with breakthroughs in opening public resources, parallel approval, marketized security services, the ticket-stub economy, second venues and event insurance.