MORE than 1,370 Shenzhen-based companies are taking part in the ongoing 138th China Import and Export Fair — popularly known as the Canton Fair — in Guangzhou, occupying over 3,000 booths.

On its opening day Wednesday, Shenzhen exhibitors closed deals worth US$115 million, four times the amount recorded on the first day of last autumn’s fair, the city’s commerce bureau said.

“We took a 1,000‑unit order from clients in Russia and the Middle East this morning, while buyers from Malaysia and Vietnam asked about becoming our distributors,” said Yang Shuiqing, marketing director of Cino Technology (Shenzhen) Ltd.

Founded in 2008, the firm focuses on the design, R&D, production, sales, and service of coffee and water machines. Many customers placed orders on the spot during the opening day.

In the service-robot zone, the aisles around the booths of Shenzhen-based firms were crowded with overseas visitors. The area clusters leading firms that produce general-purpose large-model robots, collaborative robots, and commercial service robots.

A robotic arm precisely cutting a model under a human operator’s command drew eager buyers to the booth of Yuanhua Tech, Perception and AI Technologies Ltd. Founded in 2018, this Shenzhen-based company holds more than 100 invention patents.

“Our surgical robots can achieve precise operations with dynamic correction technology. They have performed over 5,000 clinical surgeries in hospitals on the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong,” said Li Aili, founder and chairman of the company. Li said the firm aims to reach more international partners and deliver safer, more precise surgical solutions worldwide by participating in the Canton Fair.

Dobot’s AI-powered physiotherapy robot also attracted large crowds. Li Jiaxian, brand manager of the Shenzhen-based company, said their fascia‑massage robot — designed for traditional Chinese medicine clinics, wellness centers, and sports-rehab facilities — uses a large AI model to intelligently adjust massage intensity and locate acupoints for personalized therapy.

The fair is scheduled to run through Nov. 4. (SD News)