Canton Fair Refuses Alibaba, B2B Entry

Nearly all business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce companies are being excluded from the 103rd China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair), reports 21st Century Business Herald. After being cited for self-promotion without intention to trade in previous years, Alibaba.com (1688.HK) has been barred from entering the event, while Guangzhou-based Global Market Group Limited (globalmarket.com) has been rejected for its B2B company status, said the report quoting related insiders.

According to B2B promoters stationed outside the fair, the rental price for space outside the venue is higher than that of indoor booths. Global Market plans to use advertising blimps during the event to supplement its hotel, metro and bus advertisements, said a company employee.
This year's Spring fair is being attended by 18,721 companies, a 24 percent increase from last year, including 514 foreign enterprises, reports Xinhua quoting event spokesman Xu Bing. The fair kicked off on Tuesday and will run in two separate phases through April 30, said the report.