An employee at Schwarzwald (Jiangsu) Tech Co in Zhangjiagang presents a product to foreign clients via live-streaming during the 131st Canton Fair. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

During the 131st China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, which was held online from April 15 to 24, 112 companies in Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province showcased a wide range of products including large machinery, home textiles, and building and decorative materials.

Schwarzwald (Jiangsu) Tech Co, one of the exhibitors, established connections with about 30 potential clients during the 10-day trade fair and is currently negotiating tentative deals, said Huang Yizhuo, the international marketing director at the company.

Huang's company had held several live streams for different products during the exhibition, and its new vacuum cleaners proved to be highly popular among purchasers. In light of this, the company plans to make better use of online platforms to promote its products and explore global markets.

The combination of online and physical trade fairs has become a trend in foreign trade, and live streaming, which proves an effective way of marketing, can help companies secure more orders, said Qian Feng, the director of international trade department at the Zhangjiagang commerce bureau.