Tech in the Spotlight: a Malaysian Buyer Walks Again at the 140th Session

On opening day of the 140th Canton Fair, Malaysian businessman Leaw Cheeeyrn stood up and walked with a RoboCT exoskeleton. His walk captured the edition in miniature: AI-driven medical devices were among the most sought-after exhibits.

A walk on opening day

Inside the Pazhou exhibition complex, a Malaysian businessman named Leaw Cheeeyrn, who lives with high-level paraplegia, stood up and walked with the help of a robotic exoskeleton.

He called the experience remarkable and said he hoped more such products would reach people who need them. His wife was at his side on the opening day of the fair's 140th session in Guangzhou.

His enthusiasm captured a broader pattern at this edition of the event: AI-driven electronics and medical equipment were among the exhibits most sought after by foreign buyers. Organizers said 64 percent of the 32,000 participating companies now use new technologies such as artificial intelligence and the industrial internet, while new products made up 23.2 percent of exhibits and green products 26 percent, both record shares.

The machine behind the walk

The exoskeleton that carried Leaw was made by RoboCT, a Hangzhou company specializing in the technology, which has now sold devices in more than 50 countries and regions. "We have developed intelligent products that help people with walking disabilities walk again and better," said Zhang Jiyu, the company's co-founder and chief operating officer.

On opening day the RoboCT booth drew buyers from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, Japan and South Korea. The company showed a new rehabilitation service built on mind-driven exoskeletons controlled by brainwave signals, alongside its GoGo-H Pro climbing series, a consumer-grade assistive exoskeleton for everyday mobility.

The commercial pull

The commercial results explain the ambition. RoboCT's overseas sales rose 46.22 percent in 2025, and in the first eight months of 2026 they grew about 149.76 percent year-on-year. At its first appearance at the fair in April, the company collected contact details from more than 40 overseas distributors, with intended orders exceeding 3.5 million dollars.

"The fair is an important window for Chinese manufacturers to reach the world and a key milestone in our globalization strategy," Zhang said. Leaw, for his part, was already thinking about distribution: "We are very interested in selling these products to Malaysia, where there will be high demand for intelligent robotic products."

Figures in this report come from the organiser and the outlets cited below. We have not independently re-counted attendance, orders or exhibitor numbers.