22nd China - ASEAN Expo spotlights technological, economic collaboration
China has remained ASEAN's largest trade partner for 16 consecutive years. Meanwhile, ASEAN has been China's largest trade partner for the past five years
The 22nd China - ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and the China - ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) opened in Nanning, Guangxi on September 17, underscoring technological and economic cooperation between China and ASEAN.
The five-day event spans nearly 160,000 sq.m and features more than 3,200 companies from 60 countries. For the first time, the expo includes a 10,000-square-meter hall dedicated to artificial intelligence, the largest single-theme pavilion in its history.
The AI emphasis comes as the China–ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA), the world’s largest free trade zone among developing countries, is set to be upgraded to version 3.0. Negotiations concluded in May, with a formal signing expected by later this year.
In his opening speech, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said the China–ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has steadily grown, becoming one of the Asia-Pacific’s most dynamic regional cooperation models and a vivid example of building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Han hailed CAEXPO and CABIS as important platforms to strengthen China–ASEAN friendship and regional development, urging participants to fully leverage these platforms to share opportunities and shape the future together.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, meanwhile, said CAEXPO has evolved over two decades from a trade and investment fair into a catalyst for deeper integration, innovation and long-term growth.
The CAFTA 3.0 sends a strong signal that ASEAN and China remain committed to upholding a rules-based trading system, even amidst rising geopolitical tensions and global uncertainties, Kao said, adding that the CAFTA 3.0 goes further by making technology and innovation central to cooperation, while deepening supply chain integration and regional prosperity.
The theme of this year's expo, "Digital Intelligence and Innovation Empower Development - Leveraging China-ASEAN FTA 3.0: New Opportunities for an Even Closer China-ASEAN Community with a Shared Future", also highlights the role of technology in boosting bilateral trade and cooperation.
Official data showed that bilateral trade has keep growing, with China remaining ASEAN's largest trade partner for 16 consecutive years. Meanwhile, ASEAN has been China's largest trade partner for the past five years./.