Guangzhou is one of China's great shopping cities. The Shangxiajiu pedestrian street in the Liwan district is the oldest commercial area, lined with traditional shopfronts selling tea, preserved meats, and Cantonese snacks alongside modern clothing shops. Beijing Road in Yuexiu district is the main retail spine of the city centre, with department stores and international brands.
For wholesale and specialist goods, the city has sprawling market zones: the flower market in Fangcun, the electronics and computer markets near Tianhe, and the enormous clothing wholesale markets around Zhanxi Road. The Canton Fair's Pazhou Exhibition Complex hosts the world's largest trade fair twice a year (April and October), but its wholesale showrooms are open year-round to buyers. Qingping Market near Shamian Island remains the place for traditional medicines and dried goods.