Some overseas buyers are seeing the following message in the Canton Fair Buyer Service System:
“Dear buyer, due to adjustments to the issuance requirements for Canton Fair invitation letters, we suggest contacting your business partners to request an invitation letter to facilitate the visa application process for China.”
If Canton Fair says to contact business partners in your Buyer Service System, it means you should consider whether a genuine Chinese commercial partner can provide an invitation connected with the real purpose of your trip.
This could be an existing supplier, manufacturer, exporter or another Chinese company genuinely connected with the commercial purpose of your trip.
However, this message does not explain why your individual Canton Fair invitation was not issued, and it should not be interpreted as permission to obtain an invitation from an unrelated company.
If your main issue is that your invitation has not appeared or been generated, first review the separate guidance on Canton Fair Invitation Letter Not Received.
What Does “Contact Your Business Partners” Mean?
When Canton Fair says contact business partners, the reference is generally to a Chinese company with a genuine commercial connection to your proposed visit.
For example:
| Your Business Situation | Potential Chinese Business Partner |
| You already import from China | Existing supplier or exporter |
| You are discussing a new order | Manufacturer or supplier involved in the negotiations |
| You plan to inspect a factory | Company operating the factory |
| You are sourcing new products | Supplier or manufacturer, you are genuinely discussing business with |
| You already have Chinese trade contacts | Relevant existing business partner |
The important factor is not simply whether the Chinese company is willing to provide an invitation.
There should be a genuine connection between your business, the Chinese company and the purpose of your trip.
Why Is Canton Fair Asking Buyers to Contact Business Partners?
The message “Canton Fair says contact business partners” itself says that the suggestion is being made “due to adjustments of the issuance requirements for Canton Fair invitation letters.”
However, buyers should be careful about going beyond that wording.
The message does not state that a particular applicant was affected because of company age, turnover, designation, previous attendance, sourcing history or any other specific factor.
Unless Canton Fair provides a reason for an individual application, such explanations should not be treated as confirmed.
What the message does make clear is the suggested next route:
Canton Fair invitation unavailable → Contact genuine business partner → Request appropriate business invitation → Review China visa documentation
This does not mean that a business-partner invitation becomes a Canton Fair invitation. They are separate documents issued through different channels.
Business Partner Invitation vs Canton Fair Invitation
Understanding this distinction is important.
Canton Fair Invitation: Issued through the Canton Fair invitation process and connected with participation in the Fair.
Business Partner Invitation: Issued by a Chinese company or other relevant commercial entity connected with the applicant’s proposed business activities in China.
Both may relate to business travel, but one should not be presented as the other.
This distinction is also relevant to the China M Visa.
Official Chinese visa guidance for India lists documents relating to commercial activity issued by a trade partner in China, a trade-fair invitation, or other invitation letters from a relevant entity or individual among the supporting documentation for commercial and trade activities.
Therefore, a genuine Chinese business partner can be relevant when preparing documentation for a China business visit.
Who Can Provide a Business Invitation Letter?
Start with companies with which you already have a real commercial connection.
This may include:
- an existing Chinese supplier;
- a manufacturer you intend to visit;
- an exporter handling your products;
- a supplier with whom you are negotiating an order; or
- another Chinese company directly involved in the purpose of your trip.
An existing completed transaction is not necessarily the only way a commercial relationship can exist.
For example, a buyer travelling to inspect a manufacturer’s factory after exchanging quotations, product specifications and business correspondence may have a genuine commercial purpose even if the first order has not yet been completed.
What matters is that the relationship and reason for the visit can be explained truthfully.
What Should the Business Invitation Letter Contain?
Before using an invitation for a China M Visa application, check that the information accurately reflects the proposed trip.
According to Chinese Embassy guidance, an invitation letter may include information relating to:
- the applicant;
- purpose of the visit;
- intended places of visit;
- duration and travel dates;
- relationship between the applicant and inviting party;
- source of travel expenses; and
- inviter’s name, contact details, address, stamp and signature.
Supporting information relating to the Chinese inviting company may also be required.
The invitation should therefore agree with the genuine circumstances of the trip.
A useful consistency check is:
Applicant → Indian Company → Chinese Inviting Company → Business Activity → Travel Purpose → Dates and Cities
If these elements tell conflicting stories, the documentation should be reviewed before submission.
What If You Do Not Have a Business Partner in China?
Do not interpret “Canton Fair says contact business partners” as an instruction to obtain an invitation from any available Chinese company.
If you do not already have an established supplier, consider whether you have genuine ongoing discussions with manufacturers, exporters or exhibitors relevant to your intended sourcing activity.
A new commercial relationship can be legitimate. An artificial relationship created only to obtain an invitation is different.
You should also avoid changing genuine company information or creating transactions, correspondence or commercial history that did not actually occur.
The objective is to document the real purpose of the China trip, not construct a business relationship solely around the visa application.
Before Using the Invitation for Your China M Visa
Once a business partner provides an invitation, check it against the rest of the proposed visa documentation.
Pay particular attention to:
- Applicant details: Name and passport information should be accurate.
- Inviting company: Company name, address and contact information should be complete.
- Business purpose: The stated reason for the visit should correspond with the actual commercial relationship.
- Travel dates: Invitation dates should make sense alongside the intended itinerary.
- Cities: Places mentioned in the invitation should correspond with the proposed business activities.
- Supporting documents: Information about the Indian and Chinese businesses should not contradict the invitation.
Indian applicants who are unsure whether a supplier invitation fits their M Visa file can also refer to guidance from FlyTouch Overseas, which works extensively with China business visa and Canton Fair-related cases in India. Its China Business Visa Invitation Letter Assistance resource explains the main points to check before submission.
What to Do After Receiving the Canton Fair Message
If the “Canton Fair says contact business partners” message appears, start with the exact message displayed there rather than relying on unofficial explanations about why it appeared.
Identify whether you have a genuine Chinese supplier, manufacturer or other commercial partner connected with the planned trip. If that company agrees to invite you, make sure the invitation accurately documents the business relationship and proposed visit.
At the same time, remember that the official Canton Fair invitation process and a Chinese business-partner invitation are not the same.
The decision on how to proceed should ultimately be based on your actual Canton Fair account status, genuine commercial relationships and the documents available for your China business trip.
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