The 140th Canton Fair is currently being held in Guangzhou from October 14 to November 4, 2026, marking the 70th anniversary of the fair's founding. At this session, Malaysian buyer Ting Young Kang, Managing Director of Sun Jiang Trading Sdn Bhd, has brought a special collection: a set of vintage Canton Fair badges that have witnessed decades of evolution.
"I have collected badges over the years myself. And my dad left me some. The earliest one should be from the Chinese Export Commodities Fair, probably from before the 100th session." For Ting, these small pins are not just souvenirs; they are tangible witnesses to history.
His personal connection to the fair runs deep. "My first time here was in 1990, when my dad brought me to the Fair," he recalls. "I remember I was 18 at that time. I had just finished my middle school exams."
Back then, the Canton Fair was held at the Liuhua Complex—far smaller than today's spacious China Import and Export Fair Complex. For the young Ting, the fair was more than a trade event. "We came here to learn about China in the early days of reform and opening-up," he says.
"In the early days, the Canton Fair was called the Chinese Export Commodities Fair. There was no import section yet," Ting explains. That changed at the 101st session, when the fair officially added an import section, transforming from an export-only platform into a two-way trade event.
"Later on, the import section started. Our chamber of commerce began bringing Malaysian companies to the exhibition," says Ting.
From a young boy to a business leader actively facilitating Malaysia-China trade, Ting's journey mirrors the fair's own evolution. The Canton Fair has grown from a single export platform into a vital global hub for both imports and exports, seamlessly linking Chinese suppliers with global buyers and international enterprises with China's vast market and strong manufacturing strength.
Reporter | Chen Jinxia
Script | Chen Jinxia, Hu Nan
Poster | Lai Meiya
