Forty-four foreign trade enterprises based in Haimen district, Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, will attend the 133rd Canton Fair in Guangzhou, local media reported on April 9.

The fair, which starts on April 15 and will run until May 5, is the first offline exhibition after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The enterprises will display products, including home textiles, household electrical appliances, auto spare parts, electrical tools, kitchenware, household items, toys, clothing accessories, and sports leisure products, across 81 booths at the fair.

Foreign trade will be crucial to maintaining the district's steady economic growth. The district's imports and exports were valued at 34.4 billion yuan in 2022. They amounted to 6.47 billion yuan in the first two months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 63.6 percent, said local authorities.

Wang Yibing, the deputy director of the district, said that authorities will implement a series of measures, including improving policies, expanding international markets, and cultivating new business models, to advance the high-quality development of its foreign trade industry.

The Canton Fair, which was held for the first time in 1957, serves as a barometer of China's foreign trade.