Folashade Akodu, a middle aged African, came to the Canton Fair all the way from Nigeria. She is here with her three sisters, and they are scouting for washing machines at the expo.

"The financial crisis has not had any impact on my business and we are doing well in Africa," she said.

Akodu has been in the home appliance business for over 15 years. She used to import appliances from Saudi Arabia, but this time decided to come here as "everybody was talking about China". She plans to spend US$15,000 at the fair and bring home six containers.

The financial crisis has squeezed demand from the world's major economies, and China's once robust export machine has been declining for months. But here at the Canton Fair, a barometer of the country's foreign trade, buyers and exhibitors are still busy, and cafes in the exhibition hall are still full of people.

Not everyone is as optimistic as Akodu, but people elsewhere are also looking for opportunities even in the worst of times. "Business is terrible at the moment, but I am still buying," said Bill Spillane, a buyer from New Zealand.

Spillane said he is a frequent buyer here. In fact, he has been attending the fair for over 40 years. "We need to keep business going," he said, "and the world needs China - it has products with good quality and good prices."

Dong Jianqiang, marketing supervisor of Zhejiang Cuori Electrical Appliances, said the sales of his company during the first quarter of the year have declined, but has started to pick up in April.

Foreign importers are also present at the fair and are working with Chinese manufacturers to win over consumers. Maura Cattai, a sales manager from Italy, said she is not here to buy, but to sell. Her company, IARP, a leader in commercial refrigeration in Europe, has started to work with Xingxing, a Chinese refrigerator manufacturer, a year ago.

She said her company is promoting its Chinese partner in Europe, and also participating in the design of some products.

(China Daily April 16, 2009)