GUANGZHOU, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- The 126th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, is scheduled to open Tuesday, with around 60 percent of companies attending its import fair hailing from Belt and Road countries and regions.

The autumn session of the biannual fair holds import exhibitions in its first and third phases. With 998 booths, the import exhibitions have attracted a total of 642 enterprises from 38 countries and regions. These include 367 companies from 21 Belt and Road countries and regions.

According to Xu Bing, spokesperson for the fair, the fair will improve the quality of import exhibitions to create a more open international platform.

The China Import and Export Fair, held every spring and autumn in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, is widely seen as a barometer of China's foreign trade.

The fair features three phases. The first, falling on Oct. 15 to 19, will mainly showcase electronic products, home appliances, mechanical equipment and building materials. The second, from Oct. 23 to 27, will show consumer goods, decorations and gifts. The third, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4, will display textiles and clothing, food and medical products.

Xu said the Canton Fair has become an important platform to promote trade between China and those countries and regions taking part in the Belt and Road Initiative.