A buyer visits a watersports company at the China Import and Export Fair, which concluded its 140th session on Wednesday in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province. (Photo by Qiu Quanlin/chinadaily.com.cn)

The 140th session of the China Import and Export Fair concluded on Wednesday in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, after setting an attendance record for buyers from abroad, according to the global trade event's organizers.

The three-phase event, commonly known as the Canton Fair, attracted 352,000 buyers from 219 countries and regions, a 12.2 percent increase from the previous session in spring, the organizers said.

There was enthusiastic participation from business representatives of APEC member economies. Since the opening of the session on Oct 15, 60.54 percent of the buyers entering through Guangzhou's ports were from APEC member economies, according to statistics released by local border inspection authorities.

Among the 32,000 participating Chinese companies, over 11,000 were classified as high-quality, specialized, and innovative enterprises, showcasing the latest achievements in China's development of new quality productive forces.

Green technology was widely applied at the fair, with 43.1 percent of the participating companies adopting green production methods, and green products accounting for a record 26 percent of the exhibits.

"Environmentally friendly designs have become priorities in the development of new products," said Liang Yiwei, general manager of Guangzhou Vanguard Watersports Products.

Liang says that developing green swimming and diving products turns environmental values into something tangible: customers can directly see and feel the commitment to ocean care and sustainability.

"The fair brought us clients from various countries, including some lesser-known island nations, providing many new opportunities for business expansion in the global market," Liang said.

After 70 years of development, the biannual Canton Fair has become a barometer of China's foreign trade.