Canton Trade Fair More Relaxed

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31655, 16 April 1968, Page 16

Canton Trade Fair More Relaxed

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) HONG KONG, April 15. The Canton spring trade fair will open today, with China making another strong bid to do business with the West. More than 2500 businessmen heading for the fair have crossed into China from

Hong Kong by train over the last few days. They include a big contingent of Japanese and merchants from Australia, France, Germany, Sweden and Denmark. British firms in Hong Kong have again been left off the invitation list. Reports reaching Hong Kong say there is a more relaxed atmosphere in Canton than there was during last November’s autumn fair, which opened late after disturbances hit the city. A Maoist revolutionary committee took over in Canton in February and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army will be there to see there is no trouble and that foreign businessmen are not harassed. West German and Japanese businessmen will be in hot competition to sell steel to the Chinese who are also expected to buy non-ferrous metals, chemicals, fertilisers and synthetic fibres. China will be selling a wide range of consumer goods including shoes, sports goods, toys, furniture, arts and crafts, radios and television sets. Fair stalls are displaying light machinery, cars, precision instruments, silk and cotton goods. Agricultural products were expected to include soyabeans, cereals, dried fruit, salt, dried eggs, castor seeds, groundnuts, groundnut oil, cottonseed oil, furs and skins, wool, feathers, hair, goat and pig skins.