Canton Fair to offer quick visas, new ferry routes

A new ferry terminal at which business representatives can get visas upon arrival to attend the 133rd China Import and Export Fair will be open during the event, according to a senior official in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

Luo Zheng, deputy director of the Guangzhou Bureau of Commerce, said the Ministry of Transport had recently given a green light to the service at Pazhou Ferry Terminal in the city's downtown Haizhu district, where the fair complex is located.

The fair (also known as the Canton Fair) is the biggest trade event in China. It takes place twice a year in Guangzhou — in spring and fall.

The terminal will have direct ferry service routes to Hong Kong's downtown areas and its international airport during this spring event, which is set to kick off on Saturday.

The ferry terminal will also offer direct passenger ferry routes to Macao International Airport in the coming weeks, Luo said at a news conference in Guangzhou on Wednesday. The operation of the ferry terminal will help fill gaps in the high-speed passenger ferry routes from Guangzhou's downtown to Hong Kong and Macao, he added.

It will help accelerate the development of Guangzhou's convention and exhibition industry, including the Canton Fair, and will further enhance the city's reputation at home and abroad, he said.

Ding Li, deputy director of Guangzhou's market supervision and administration bureau, said his bureau would strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights during the fair.

"We have explained and publicized relevant policies and measures for IPR for about 800 participating enterprises from the Guangzhou trade delegation to guide them in identifying intellectual property infringement risks and enhance their awareness of IPR protection before the fair opens," he said.

During the fair, the bureau will also set up a special complaint window in the exhibition hall to help investigate and handle any IPR infringements or disputes. "Intellectual property protection is a matter of great concern for enterprises and also relates to the country's international image," Ding said.

This spring's event has 70,000 export booths for more than 34,000 exhibitors. Meanwhile, more than 500 foreign companies from more than 40 countries and regions will display their latest products and technologies to seek expansion with domestic companies and increase their presence in the vast Chinese market during the fair, which runs until May 5.