Vendors protest at Shenzhen trade fair over alleged staged buyers, leaving many with zero sales

SHENZHEN, China: Police were deployed to a trade exhibition in Shenzhen after exhibitors confronted organisers over allegations that individuals had been hired to pose as customers and overseas buyers, leaving many vendors claiming they secured no sales during the event.

The Shenzhen Import and Export Trade Fair, known locally as the Shenzhen Foreign Trade Exhibition, was held from 16 June to 18 June 2026 at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Centre in Futian District. The event was organised by Boxiang Exhibition Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd.

Exhibitors alleged that organisers created a misleading impression of strong commercial activity and international participation, despite what they described as sparse attendance from genuine buyers.

Trade fair attendance questioned

Videos circulating on Chinese social media showed groups of exhibitors expressing frustration over what they said was a lack of genuine customers despite organisers promoting the event as a successful launch with strong turnout.

According to participants, very few visitors appeared to be actively seeking business opportunities.

One exhibitor claimed that most of the contacts collected during the event were freight forwarding agents rather than potential purchasers.

Another participant alleged that many of the overseas buyers highlighted by organisers were not genuine procurement representatives.

Images and videos from the venue showed several non-Chinese individuals posing at the exhibition entrance while holding banners bearing the words "Shenzhen Foreign Trade Exhibition Foreign Buyer Delegation".

Exhibitors alleged that the individuals had been recruited temporarily to create the appearance of international buyer participation.

Refund demands draw police response

The growing discontent culminated on 17 June 2026 when exhibitors collectively demanded refunds from organisers.

Footage from the scene showed a large deployment of police officers, auxiliary police and private security personnel equipped with protective gear maintaining order as tensions escalated.

Despite the protests, exhibitors said their requests for reimbursement received no response during the exhibition.

According to several participants, a standard exhibition booth cost approximately RMB10,000 (US$1,476).

When transport, accommodation and travel expenses were included, total participation costs could reach around RMB20,000 (US$2,953).

Many exhibitors said they left the three-day event without securing a single order.

"The losses are significant," one exhibitor was quoted as saying in videos shared online.

Others were seen collecting signatures in support of a joint refund petition.

Frustration spills over after exhibition ends

The dispute escalated further after the exhibition concluded on 18 June.

Videos posted online showed some exhibitors damaging their own products and dismantling booth displays in apparent protest against the organisers after their demands remained unresolved.

The incident quickly became a topic of discussion across Chinese social media platforms, where users debated the reasons behind the exhibition's poor attendance.

Some commentators suggested that persistent heavy rainfall across parts of southern China during the exhibition period may have contributed to lower visitor numbers.

Others pointed to competition from the China Cross-Border E-Commerce Trade Fair in Guangzhou, which was held on the same dates from 16 June to 18 June.

The Guangzhou event is organised by the China Foreign Trade Centre and benefits from its association with the long-established Canton Fair brand, making it a more recognisable attraction for international businesses.

Confusion over concurrent exhibitions

Additional confusion emerged because the Shenzhen International Cross-Border E-Commerce Trade Expo was being held simultaneously in an adjacent exhibition hall at the same venue.

Photographs from the site showed promotional signage referencing both exhibitions, leading some exhibitors to question whether visitors could clearly distinguish between the events.

Several exhibitors alleged that the Shenzhen Foreign Trade Exhibition benefited from confusion with the better-known cross-border e-commerce expo.

However, a representative of the Shenzhen International Cross-Border E-Commerce Trade Expo told local media that the two exhibitions were entirely separate despite taking place at the same venue and during the same period.

Attempts by local media to contact the person in charge of the Shenzhen Foreign Trade Exhibition reportedly went unanswered.

Taiwanese exhibitor describes scene

A Threads user who identified as a Taiwanese exhibitor at the event claimed local police responded rapidly after the confrontation began.

"So it turns out that keeping troops ready for a thousand days really is for a single moment of use. If you dare to raise objections, this is the kind of heavily guarded response you face. In my 15 to 16 years of doing business in Shenzhen, I've never seen local police arrive this quickly," the user wrote.

The individual also expressed concerns about the wider business environment and questioned claims about commercial opportunities in China.

"Because of the economy, this so-called Shenzhen foreign trade exhibition had its operating rights outsourced by the Shenzhen government's foreign trade department to an operating company. "

"But that company simply lacked the resources and experience to run a foreign trade exhibition, or perhaps foreign businesses no longer have confidence in the Chinese market," the user said.

"Of course, it may not have been outsourced just once — it could have changed hands four or five times."

The user further urged Taiwanese businesses to carefully evaluate claims about business opportunities in China before committing resources to future trade events.