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The 139th Canton Fair: Intensive preparations underway, a key platform for foreign trade enterprises to break through Core Information (Officially Confirmed) The 139th Spring Canton Fair will be held in three phases from April 15th to May 5th, 2026, at the Pazhou Exhibition Hall in Guangzhou (No. 382, Yuedong Middle Road, Haizhu District), with an exhibition area of over 1.55 million square meters and 55 professional exhibition areas. It is expected to attract over 32,000 enterprises to participate and 310,000 overseas buyers to attend. Key points for participation and business connection Compliance and brand display: This session of the Canton Fair has strengthened the “green and beautiful booth” requirements. The construction materials must meet the B1-level flame retardant standard, and the recyclability rate must not be lower than the regulations of the exhibition hall. Participating enterprises need to prepare environmental protection test reports of the materials in advance to avoid on-site rectification. Independent station enterprises can link the exhibition booth with their online stores, set up “Canton Fair exclusive discount codes”, guide buyers to leave contact information online, and then complete repeat purchases through the independent station. Precise connection with procurement demands: In response to the US tariff policy and the situation in the Middle East, enterprises can focus on showcasing “tariff optimization solutions” (such as modular products, customizable split models) and “logistics alternative solutions” (such as China-Europe Railway Express transportation, third-party overseas warehouse stocking) at their booths. Procurement agencies can prepare “procurement service manuals”, highlighting core advantages such as tariff calculation, tax refund assistance, and multi-channel logistics integration, to attract overseas buyers with cross-border procurement needs. Seizing opportunities in emerging markets: The Canton Fair will attract a large number of buyers from Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Enterprises can optimize their product structure in advance and launch high-cost-performance products for emerging markets. At the same time, they can use the official online platform of the Canton Fair to upload product information in advance and activate the “appointment negotiation” function to improve the efficiency of offline connections. Comprehensive response suggestions for foreign trade enterprises Short-term emergency response: Immediately sort out goods in transit and confirm the latest route arrangements with shipping companies; Recalculate the tariff costs for orders from the US and update the quotation sheets; sign supplementary agreements for orders from the Middle East to clarify the risk-sharing mechanism. Medium-term layout: Leverage the Canton Fair to expand the customer base in emerging markets and optimize the market structure; strengthen SEO and keyword optimization for the independent website, with a focus on capturing search traffic from non-US and non-Middle East markets; establish a full-service system for procurement enterprises that integrates tariff calculation, logistics integration, and tax rebate assistance. Long-term planning: Establish a real-time monitoring mechanism for tariff policies and geopolitical situations, reserve overseas warehouse resources in advance to reduce reliance on a single logistics channel; increase investment in product research and development, launch high-value-added products, and enhance the ability to cope with tariff costs.Contact us！

Escalation of the Middle East Situation: Major shipping routes blocked, high risks of fulfilling orders during the Ramadan peak season Spillover effects of geopolitical conflicts In early March 2026, the geopolitical confrontation in the Middle East continued to escalate, with the risk levels of the Strait of Hormuz (through which 30% of global crude oil and a large number of containers pass) and the Red Sea soaring. Major shipping companies such as Maersk, MSC, and COSCO Shipping collectively suspended some bookings on Middle East routes, and ships were forced to detour around the Cape of Good Hope. This move directly led to the extension of the voyage time on the Asia-Europe route from 25-30 days to 40-50 days, a 40% drop in the turnover efficiency of individual vessels, and a 8%-12% contraction in global effective capacity. The disruption in logistics triggered a chain reaction: core ports in the Middle East (such as Jebel Ali Port in Dubai) faced operational restrictions, with severe cargo backlogs; air hubs like Dubai and Doha saw their trans-Eurasian air transport capacity halved due to airspace control, and freight rates soared in a retaliatory manner. As of March 9th, the freight rate for a 40-foot container on the Middle East route skyrocketed to $6,000 per FEU, and war risk insurance premiums increased by 300%-500% compared to before, with the average emergency conflict surcharge reaching up to $3,000 per container. Core Impact on Foreign Trade Business and Response Strategies The crisis of contract fulfillment is highlighted: Mid-March coincides with the Eid al-Fitr after the Islamic Ramadan, a core consumption season in the Middle East. A large amount of pre-stocked goods are stuck in transit, and Amazon’s Middle East warehouses and local retailers have begun to reject new shipments. Cross-border e-commerce platforms (such as Shein and Temu) have announced significant delays in delivery. Procurement agencies need to promptly inform customers of the location of the goods and the estimated arrival time, and negotiate delayed fulfillment or alternative port solutions. Rising risks in payment and settlement: Payment channels in the Middle East are fluctuating, and the uncertainty of letter of credit (L/C) redemption has increased. Some countries have shown signs of tightening foreign exchange controls. It is recommended that enterprises prioritize the use of pre-T/T (full advance payment) for new customers in the Middle East, and strictly control the payment terms for existing customers to avoid the risk of bad debts from credit sales. Urgent need for market diversification: The conflict has led to a short-term decline in demand in the Middle East. Some enterprises have accelerated their layout in emerging markets such as South America, Africa, and Central Asia. Independent station sellers can optimize keywords for emerging markets through SEO, launch multi-language pages, and divert risks from the Middle East business. Procurement agencies can expand procurement demands in non-Middle East regions to balance their business structure.

The current foreign trade market is facing multiple overlapping shocks: The US federal government has raised the “global temporary tariff” rate to 15%, with legal disputes and tax refund procedures advancing simultaneously; the escalation of the Middle East geopolitical conflict has blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, causing a sharp increase in logistics costs and high risks of fulfilling orders during the Ramadan peak season; meanwhile, the 139th Spring Canton Fair is in the final stage of preparation, becoming a key window for enterprises to cope with market fluctuations and expand their global customer base. These three core issues are intertwined, profoundly affecting the operation of international trade independent stations, the layout of purchasing agency businesses, and customer service strategies. US Tariff Policy: 15% Temporary Tariff About to Take Effect, Legal Battles and Tax Refunds Proceeding in Parallel Core Policy Changes On February 20, 2026, the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the large-scale tariffs implemented by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) lacked legal authorization, and the relevant measures were immediately terminated. On the same day, President Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to announce a 10% global temporary import tariff for 150 days, which took effect on February 24; the next day, he announced an increase in the rate to 15%, and the US Treasury Secretary confirmed that the rate is expected to be implemented within this week. This temporary tariff clearly defines the exemption scope, including critical minerals, energy products, pharmaceuticals and components, passenger vehicles and some parts, aerospace products, etc., aiming to reduce the impact on the US domestic industrial chain. Regarding trade with China, the US has stopped collecting the “fentanyl tariffs” and some reciprocal tariffs previously imposed under IEEPA, and instead applies a 10% temporary surcharge (soon to be raised to 15%). The Ministry of Commerce of China has stated that it will closely assess and adjust countermeasures as necessary, and is willing to engage in candid negotiations during the 6th round of China-US economic and trade consultations. Core Impacts on Foreign Trade Enterprises and Responses Dual pressure of cost and compliance: The 15% temporary tariff will directly increase the cost of US exports, squeezing the profit margins of non-exempted categories (such as consumer goods and some industrial finished products). Independent station sellers need to recalculate pricing to avoid a decline in price competitiveness due to tariff costs. Opportunities for tax refunds and cumbersome processes: Data from the US Court of International Trade shows that the previous tariffs imposed under IEEPA involved a refund amount of 175 billion US dollars. On March 6, the court held a settlement meeting with government lawyers to advance the refund process. Enterprises involved in the relevant tariffs and exporters should immediately sort out the payment vouchers from February 2025 to February 2026 and submit tax refund applications to the US Customs and Border Protection. Legal uncertainty risks: More than 20 US states (led by California and New York) have jointly filed lawsuits, accusing the president of overstepping his authority in imposing comprehensive tariffs under Section 122. The outcome of the subsequent case may lead to further adjustments in the tariff policy. Enterprises should avoid signing long-term fixed-price orders to the US and include a “tariff adjustment force majeure clause” in the contract.