GUANGZHOU -- The 137th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, will reduce booth fees by 50 percent for export exhibitors, a move aimed at helping exporters navigate global trade challenges.

Booths in rural vitalization and other special zones will remain rent-free, the China Foreign Trade Center, organizer of the Canton Fair, announced on Thursday as the third phase of the fair opened.

The adjusted booth fees have been published on the fair's official website, with a 9-square-meter booth now generally priced at just over 10,000 yuan (about $1,375). The waived portion of the previously collected fees will be refunded, according to the organizer.

The third phase features over 12,000 exhibitors in 21 sections, showcasing products such as toys and maternity goods, fashion, home textiles, stationery, and health and recreation items.

This edition of the fair, held in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou from April 15 to May 5, is organized into three themed phases. The first one focused on advanced manufacturing, the second on quality home furnishings, and the third on products that promote a better quality of life.

More than 220,000 overseas buyers from 219 countries and regions attended the first two phases, setting a record. The fair has seen packed venues with vibrant buyer-seller engagement since opening, indicating the resilience of China's foreign trade.