People visit the 126th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 23, 2019. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

Guangdong will comprehensively assess the situation of the pandemic and offer suggestions concerning the fair to relevant authorities before a new schedule is set.

The 127th China Import and Export Fair will not be held on April 15 as scheduled, according to local authorities.

The decision was made due to the current global situation of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), especially the high risk of imported cases, Ma Hua, deputy director of the bureau of commerce of south China's Guangdong Province, told a press conference Monday.

According to the official, Guangdong will comprehensively assess the situation of the pandemic and offer suggestions concerning the fair to relevant authorities before a new schedule is set.

The China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair, is held every spring and autumn in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province. It is widely seen as a barometer of China's foreign trade.

The 126th autumn session of the biannual event received 186,015 participants from 214 countries and regions, and the export turnover reached 207.1 billion yuan (about 29.1 billion U.S. dollars).