2003年1月廣州國際會展中心首期工程建成投入使用。中心首期投資40億，佔地43萬平方，總建築面積39.5萬平方，有三層共16個展廳，有國際標準展位10200個，係當時亞洲最大、世界第二嘅會展中心，面積僅次於德國漢諾威展覽中心。
In January 2003, the first phase of the Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center was completed and put into use. The first phase of the center invested 4 billion, covering an area of 430,000 square meters, with a total construction area of 395,000 square meters, a total of 16 exhibition halls on three floors, and 10,200 international standard booths, which was the largest convention and exhibition center in Asia and the second in the world at that time, second only to the Hannover Exhibition Center in Germany.