Today, hardware products have become an indispensable part of our lives. From the daily necessities such as faucets, hangers, car locks, mechanical gears, springs, conveyor belts, hardware is everywhere. Chinese hardware products are almost everywhere in the world, and China is becoming a veritable hardware industry.

China's hardware distribution area is very extensive, especially in Zhejiang and Guangdong regions. At present, China's most prosperous hardware areas, such as Zhejiang Yongkang, Foshan, Guangdong, Shenzhen, Zhongshan and so on.

Almost all African countries need hardware products. In Africa, many countries belong to the post-war reconstruction country. The demand for Chinese hardware is relatively large, such as saw blades, steel pipes, and some mechanical hardware. Xiong Lin, director of Chongqing Foreign Economic and Trade Committee, said: “Chinese hardware is particularly popular in Africa because of its high quality and low price in Africa, especially South Africa. Over 70% of South Africa’s machinery and construction hardware are imported.”

Chinese hardware products are also found everywhere in Africa and have gradually won the favor of local people. A Nigerian deputy minister once said: “The prices of Chinese hardware products are very suitable for the African market. In the past, some African countries’ hardware products were imported from European countries. Now African countries including Nigeria recognize that the prices of Chinese hardware are more suitable.”

Nowadays, many African businessmen already have purchased hardware in China and then shipped back home to sell. Alva, a Guinean businessman, said that from importing stuff from China, Guinea can sell one dollar. One of the ways is to make orders at the Canton Fair.

Every year, many African businessmen enthusiastically participate in the spring and autumn two-quarter trade fairs, and they choose to buy inexpensive Chinese goods. Gao Tiefeng, Counsellor of the Economic and Commercial Counselor's Office of the Chinese Embassy in Guinea, said: “More and more Guinean customers are now participating in the Canton Fair and are quite familiar with the prices, production, and operating channels of Chinese products.”