Amid global uncertainty and rising protectionism, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continue to strive to deepen their integration.
This commitment is reflected in the completion of negotiations on the upgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0, announced in May and a milestone expected to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.
After more than two years of negotiations, the updated agreement includes new areas such as the digital economy, green development, and supply chain connectivity.
Driven by this historic upgrade and the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo, scheduled to open on Wednesday (September 17) in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is expected to showcase new momentum and potential for cooperation.
The annual event this year attracted more than 3,200 exhibitors from 60 countries, as global companies flocked to take advantage of two of the world's most open and dynamic markets.
Specifically, the five-day expo featured a 10,000-square-meter AI pavilion, a new-generation productive force pavilion, and a blue economy exhibition area.
