GUANGZHOU, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- The 126th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, opened Tuesday in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province.

A total of 25,642 enterprises from home and abroad are hosting exhibitions in the autumn session of the biannual fair, which has a total exhibition area of about 1.19 million square meters.

The fair holds import exhibitions in its first and third phases. With 998 booths, the import exhibitions have attracted 642 enterprises from 38 countries and regions. These include 367 companies from 21 Belt and Road countries and regions, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the total.

"Since the import fair was established in 2007, it has seen tens of thousands of overseas exhibitors, helping the enterprises to sell their products in China and expand the global market," said Xu Bing, spokesperson for the fair.

The China Import and Export Fair, held every spring and autumn in Guangzhou, is widely seen as a barometer of China's foreign trade.

To date, the fair has already built partnerships with 128 industrial and commercial organizations in 72 countries and regions to cooperate in areas such as attracting investment and exhibitors, exchanging visits and promoting business travel services.

The 126th Canton Fair is expected to attract buyers from more than 210 countries and regions.