'China Haul': Empty suitcases in, packed suitcases out

When a British woman suffering from hindered mobility following a stroke was able to discard her wheelchair and walk with the help of a Chinese-made exoskeleton robot at the China Import and Export Fair this week, she could barely hold back her tears.

Her son, who was equally overwhelmed by what Chinese technology could achieve, decided to immediately place an order for the device. "I have never seen anything like this in the United Kingdom, or even in Europe," he said.

The heartwarming moment was captured on camera, and the footage was widely circulated on social media.

Rafael Saavedra, a Venezuelan vlogger attending the fair, described the scene as a glimpse into the future. "Here you can see, touch and test tomorrow's consumer technology — from robots that can run errands to massage chairs," he said.

The scene was actually far from unique, as the viral "China Haul" trend has gripped the ongoing China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, which opened in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on Oct 14 and runs through Nov 4.

While influencers have popularized the "China Haul" hashtag on social media, visitors to the fair are buyers searching for China's next-generation products. Across the fair's exhibition halls, foreign visitors were captivated by artificial intelligence-based toys, humanoid robots and other smart devices, with some placing orders on the spot.

Their shopping lists tell a broader story. After last year's boom in "China Travel" brought millions of overseas visitors to the country, the latest trend indicates that many are returning home with something more than intangible memories.

They are packing their suitcases with Chinese brands — from tech products such as drones and foldable smartphones to lifestyle goods such as sports shoes and AI-powered toys.

In other words, China's appeal is moving beyond affordability toward innovation, and that momentum is reflected in official figures.

China recorded 23.72 million visa-free entries by foreign nationals from January to August, up 26.8 percent year-on-year, according to the National Immigration Administration.

Data from the Ministry of Commerce shows that in the first seven months, overseas visitors spent 263.6 billion yuan ($39.5 billion), an increase of 27.8 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. It underscores a steady recovery in inbound tourism and consumer spending.

Speaking on Friday at a news conference in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that China will continue opening its doors wider, allowing more foreign visitors to better understand and appreciate the country through two-way exchanges.

The growing enthusiasm for​ "China Haul" among visitors is also benefiting international retailers.

According to Inditex, a global fashion retailer that owns brands including Zara and Massimo Dutti, the share of sales generated by overseas visitors at the Zara flagship store on Shanghai's Nanjing East Road and the Massimo Dutti store on Nanjing West Road has risen more than 10 percent year-on-year.

The company attributed the increase in sales to the stores' central locations, the distinctive shopping experiences they offer, their assortment of products, and China's increasingly convenient departure tax refund policy.

Taikoo Li, a popular commercial zone in Beijing's Sanlitun, reported a similar trend. The retail complex said the city's continued efforts to improve services for visitors, streamline tax refund procedures and enhance cultural and tourism experiences are attracting more foreigners.

"The number of overseas visitors to our complex has seen a clear upward trend," said CT Ma, general manager of Taikoo Li Sanlitun.

"International shoppers are interested not only in global luxury brands, but also in Chinese brands that combine local cultural elements with contemporary design. Sportswear, lifestyle products and brands with distinctive Chinese characteristics have become particularly popular," he said.

"They are no longer coming only to see China. They are coming to discover what China makes, what China designs and, increasingly, what China creates," Ma said.