Maria Laura from Argentina, who has had difficulty walking due to muscle weakness and has relied on a wheelchair for years, came to the Canton Fair as a companion to help a friend source hairdressing products, but in the service robot exhibition area she found an unexpected surprise, the chance to stand up again.

At the just-concluded 139th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou in south China's Guangdong Province, she put on an exoskeleton robot developed by Hangzhou TransitX Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. with the help of the staff, stood up steadily, and began to walk on her own.

"I can walk by myself. This feels amazing. My legs are getting stronger," she said, as the crowd burst into applause, and her friend shed tears of joy.

This moment was captured by the camera and quickly went viral online, reflecting how "Made in China" is moving up the value chain toward intelligent manufacturing.

According to Liang Linchao, founder and CEO of the Hangzhou-based tech firm, this exoskeleton robot can detect movement intentions based on the user's subtle body movements. It then activates its motors to assist with leg movements, providing support for sports enthusiasts, the elderly and others with mobility difficulties.

When the company first exhibited the product at the 137th Canton Fair a year ago, it weighed 2.4 kilograms. It has since been reduced to 1.8 kilograms, marking a significant improvement in lightweight design, while its algorithms have also been fully optimized.

"We don't wait years to update products. New versions often come within three to six months, and our R&D pipeline for new technologies is always ongoing," Liang said, adding that rapid iteration is made possible by China's well-developed industrial chain, with suppliers in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta able to quickly respond to demands on price, weight and functionality.

A similar shift is visible in the new energy sector, where Chinese firms are moving beyond price competition toward localized solutions and full-service offerings.

Shenzhen Huaxing New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., for example, has developed small intelligent energy storage units tailored for Europe, where grid stability is limited and electricity prices fluctuate every 15 minutes.

"Amid growing global energy challenges, energy storage will remain a fast-growing industry for decades," said Sun Huaibing, R&D director of the company. "Competing on price alone isn't sustainable. What matters is delivering tailored solutions and professional services."

Even in the accessories industry, often seen as having few technological barriers, technology and design remain key drivers. Guangzhou Justop Accessories Ltd. exports 90 percent of its products, mainly stainless steel ornaments. The company now serves a broader global market, expanding beyond Europe and the United States to Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

"We launch 300 to 500 new SKUs (stock keeping units) every month. This fast iteration keeps us at the forefront of fashion, and our customers are willing to work with us long term," said Chen Danping, deputy general manager of the company.

The 139th Canton Fair closed on Tuesday, drawing over 32,000 exhibitors. As of May 4, the fair had attracted 314,000 overseas buyers from 220 countries and regions, a record high. Meanwhile, data from the General Administration of Customs shows China's foreign trade of goods reached 11.84 trillion yuan (about 1.73 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of this year, a year-on-year increase of 15 percent.

Zhu Yong, director of the China Foreign Trade Centre, said that even as the external environment becomes more uncertain, the Canton Fair has only become more vibrant. This, Zhu noted, reflects firm confidence in China's complete industrial chain and stable supply chain, as well as a "trust vote" in the Chinese economy.

"Every year, some say business is becoming more difficult. But opportunities and challenges go hand in hand. The demand is always there, but the key is whether you can find it," said Wei Fenhai, sales manager at Four-Faith Group, a digital tech company located in east China's Fujian Province.

"Chinese are the best sellers in the world for me. Most of the things we use in the world come from here," French buyer Tidiane Tally said. "So even if we are in a crisis, people will continue to need and work with China because of all the Chinese qualities."