Industry guides
Manufacturing and industrial trade fairs in China 2026–27: which to attend
China's 2026–27 manufacturing trade fairs by sector and month, the Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Beijing venues, and how foreign buyers register.
By the atndr teamPublished 6 min read
The short answer
China's main manufacturing trade fairs in 2026–27 are Automechanika Shanghai (2–5 December 2026), CHINAPLAS in Shenzhen (13–16 April 2027), CIMT in Beijing (19–24 April 2027), productronica Shanghai (24–26 March), ProPak China (22–24 June) and the Intertextile Shanghai fabric fairs. Most run in Shanghai, Shenzhen or Guangzhou and are free for trade visitors who pre-register online. The busiest months are March, April, June and late autumn.
Key takeaways
- Shanghai hosts the most shows, at two venues: the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Hongqiao and SNIEC in Pudong. Shenzhen and Guangzhou cover electronics, plastics, packaging and furniture.
- March and April 2027 are the peak: fasteners, packaging, textiles, electronics, plastics and machine tools all fall within seven weeks.
- Pre-register online. Most fairs are free for trade visitors who do; GILE charges RMB 50 to walk-ins and ITMA ASIA + CITME sells admission tickets.
- Several fairs alternate or skip years: CHINAPLAS moves between Shanghai and Shenzhen, CIMT runs in odd years and ITMA ASIA + CITME is biennial.
- Many organisers issue visa invitation letters to registered foreign visitors; apply weeks ahead.
On this page
- What does China's manufacturing trade fair calendar look like in 2026–27?
- Which Chinese manufacturing fairs matter, by sector?
- Where are China's main exhibition venues?
- How do foreign visitors register for a Chinese trade fair?
- How do you choose and plan a manufacturing trip to China?
- Frequently asked questions
What does China's manufacturing trade fair calendar look like in 2026–27?
China's industrial fairs run almost all year, with two peaks: late October to early December, and March to June. They are large, sector-specific B2B exhibitions, mostly in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, with Beijing hosting the biggest machine tool show.
| Month | Event | Sector | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2026 | Yiwu Fair 2026 (21–24 Oct) | Consumer goods for export | Yiwu |
| Oct 2026 | NEPCON ASIA (27–29 Oct) | Electronics manufacturing, SMT | Shenzhen |
| Nov 2026 | PTC ASIA (3–6 Nov) | Hydraulics, pneumatics, drives | Shanghai |
| Nov 2026 | ITMA ASIA + CITME (20–24 Nov) | Textile machinery | Shanghai |
| Dec 2026 | Automechanika Shanghai (2–5 Dec) | Auto parts, aftermarket, NEV | Shanghai |
| Dec 2026 | DMP Greater Bay Area Industrial Expo (3–6 Dec) | Machine tools, moulds, die casting | Shenzhen |
| Mar 2027 | Fastener Expo Shanghai (3–5 Mar) | Fasteners and fastener machinery | Shanghai |
| Mar 2027 | Sino-Pack and Printing South China (4–6 Mar) | Packaging, printing | Guangzhou |
| Mar 2027 | Intertextile Apparel Fabrics Spring and Yarn Expo Spring (10–12 Mar) | Fabrics, yarns | Shanghai |
| Mar 2027 | productronica Shanghai, CAC 2027 (24–26 Mar), ITES (24–27 Mar) | Electronics production, agrochemicals, industrial equipment | Shanghai, Shenzhen |
| Apr 2027 | CHINAPLAS (13–16 Apr), CIMT (19–24 Apr) | Plastics and rubber, machine tools | Shenzhen, Beijing |
| Jun 2027 | GILE (9–12 Jun), ProPak China (22–24 Jun), CERAMICS CHINA (23–26 Jun) | Lighting, packaging, ceramics | Guangzhou, Shanghai |
| Jul 2027 | ALUMINIUM CHINA (7–9 Jul) | Aluminium and non-ferrous metals | Shanghai |
| Aug–Sep 2027 | Wenzhou Leather & Shoe Fair (20–22 Aug), Intertextile Home Textiles (25–27 Aug), Intertextile Apparel Fabrics Autumn and Yarn Expo Autumn (1–3 Sep) | Footwear supply chain, textiles | Wenzhou, Shanghai |
January and February are quiet around the Chinese New Year holiday. The live list is on industry and manufacturing events in China.
Which Chinese manufacturing fairs matter, by sector?
China's fairs are among the largest in the world for their sectors, so pick by supply chain rather than by city.
Machine tools and industrial equipment
CIMT 2027 (19–24 April, Shunyi, Beijing) is the 20th China International Machine Tool Show, counted with EMO, IMTS and JIMTOF among the world's four major machine tool shows. The organiser plans 320,000 sqm and expects more than 2,500 exhibitors; its 2025 edition recorded 211,993 visitors. In the south, ITES (24–27 March, Shenzhen) and the DMP Greater Bay Area Industrial Expo (3–6 December 2026, Shenzhen) cover CNC, moulds and die casting. PTC ASIA (3–6 November 2026, Shanghai) is the Asian sister of HANNOVER MESSE's power transmission segment.
Automotive
Automechanika Shanghai (2–5 December 2026) takes the whole National Exhibition and Convention Center, about 390,000 sqm, with 7,600 exhibitors anticipated. It covers parts, aftermarket services and new-energy vehicle technology for passenger and commercial vehicles.
Plastics, packaging and printing
CHINAPLAS 2027 (13–16 April, Shenzhen World, Bao'an) has run since 1983 and alternates between Shanghai in even years and Shenzhen in odd years; 4,700+ suppliers are expected. ProPak China (22–24 June, Shanghai) is the 32nd edition of the processing and packaging show, and Sino-Pack (4–6 March, Guangzhou) covers FMCG packaging lines in the south.
Electronics production
NEPCON ASIA (27–29 October 2026, Shenzhen) and productronica Shanghai (24–26 March 2027) cover SMT, assembly, test and smart factory equipment. productronica Shanghai recorded 1,156 exhibitors and 67,184 professional visitors in 2026.
Textiles and footwear
Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics runs twice a year; the autumn edition (1–3 September 2027) is Messe Frankfurt's largest textile fair worldwide, with 3,500+ exhibitors in 2026. ITMA ASIA + CITME (20–24 November 2026) is the biennial textile machinery show.
Materials and consumer goods
ALUMINIUM CHINA, CERAMICS CHINA, Fastener Expo Shanghai and CAC serve specialist buyers. Importers of everyday goods go to the Yiwu Fair, which expects 180,000 professional buyers in 2026.
Where are China's main exhibition venues?
Five venue clusters host nearly every fair above. Check the venue on the listing: Shanghai alone has two major sites on opposite sides of the city.
| Venue | City and district | Manufacturing fairs on atndr |
|---|---|---|
| National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) | Shanghai, Qingpu (Hongqiao) | Automechanika Shanghai, ITMA ASIA + CITME, Intertextile, Fastener Expo, CAC, ProPak China |
| Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) | Shanghai, Pudong | PTC ASIA, productronica, ALUMINIUM CHINA |
| Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center | Shenzhen, Bao'an | CHINAPLAS, NEPCON ASIA, ITES, DMP |
| China Import and Export Fair Complex | Guangzhou, Pazhou | Sino-Pack, Printing South China, GILE, CERAMICS CHINA |
| Capital International Exhibition & Convention Center | Beijing, Shunyi | CIMT |
NECC is next to Hongqiao airport and rail hub; SNIEC is on the Pudong side, nearer Pudong airport. Shenzhen World is in Bao'an, near Shenzhen airport. The China Import and Export Fair Complex is the Canton Fair's home in Guangzhou.
How do foreign visitors register for a Chinese trade fair?
Pre-register online on the fair's official site, then collect a badge on arrival with your passport and a business card.
- Cost. Most fairs are free for trade visitors who pre-register: Automechanika Shanghai, ProPak China, CERAMICS CHINA, DOMOTEX asia, Intertextile and Fastener Expo all say so. GILE charges walk-in visitors RMB 50 and asks for two business cards. ITMA ASIA + CITME sells admission tickets, with a 40% early-bird discount for online registration until 19 November 2026.
- Age. Automechanika Shanghai and Intertextile Apparel Fabrics admit trade visitors aged 18 and over only.
- Badges. The Yiwu Fair issues a free buyer badge; overseas buyers holding a Canton Fair trade badge can exchange it for a Yiwu Fair badge.
- Visas. EP Shanghai, GILE and the Wenzhou leather fair issue visa invitation letters to registered visitors; GILE says it issues them within five working days of verifying documents. Check China's current entry rules for your passport with the nearest Chinese embassy before booking.
- Hosted buyers. ALUMINIUM CHINA runs a hosted buyer programme for international buyers, and CIIE offers online matchmaking for professional visitors.
Register early: Automechanika Shanghai rewards visitors who register by 31 October 2026 and attend with a free e-catalogue after the show.
How do you choose and plan a manufacturing trip to China?
Start from your supply chain, then group fairs by city and week.
- Match the fair to the product. China's fairs are specialised: buy injection moulding machines at CHINAPLAS, CNC at CIMT or ITES, packaging lines at ProPak China or Sino-Pack, fabrics at Intertextile.
- Check the year and city. CHINAPLAS is in Shenzhen in 2027 and Shanghai in even years; CIMT runs in odd years; ITMA ASIA + CITME is biennial.
- Stack fairs that overlap. Intertextile Apparel Fabrics and Yarn Expo share dates and venue; productronica Shanghai and CAC both run 24–26 March 2027; Sino-Pack and Printing South China form a four-in-one print and pack expo.
- Budget time for scale. The largest fairs fill 200,000–390,000 sqm. Plan at least two days, and use the organiser's app or hall plan to pre-book meetings.
- Pair with a factory visit. Shenzhen, Guangzhou and the Yangtze River Delta are manufacturing hubs, so many buyers add supplier audits to the fair.
For other markets, compare manufacturing events in Turkey and trade fairs in Germany.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the largest manufacturing trade fair in China?
- By floor space, Automechanika Shanghai fills about 390,000 sqm in December 2026, and CIMT plans 320,000 sqm in Beijing in April 2027. CIMT's 2025 edition drew 211,993 visitors.
- Are Chinese trade fairs free to visit?
- Most are free for trade visitors who pre-register online. Some charge walk-ins, such as GILE (RMB 50), and ITMA ASIA + CITME sells admission tickets.
- Where is CHINAPLAS held in 2027?
- At Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Bao'an, Shenzhen, from 13 to 16 April 2027. The fair alternates with Shanghai, which hosts it in even years.
- Can a trade fair help with a Chinese business visa?
- Several organisers, including GILE, EP Shanghai and the Wenzhou leather fair, issue invitation letters to registered foreign visitors. Check current visa rules for your passport with a Chinese embassy.
- When should I avoid scheduling a trade fair trip to China?
- January and February, around the Chinese New Year holiday, when atndr lists almost no manufacturing fairs and many factories close.
Sources
Written and fact-checked by the atndr team. Dates, venues and organizers are checked against each event’s official website; the figures in “At a glance” come live from the atndr calendar. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
