The 22nd China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit opened in Nanning, capital of southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, highlighting technological and economic collaboration between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The five-day event spans nearly 160,000 square meters and attracts more than 3,200 companies from 60 countries.
For the first time, the expo features a new 10,000-square-meter pavilion dedicated exclusively to the artificial intelligence (AI) sector , the largest single-themed hall in the expo's history.
This year's AI spotlight comes as the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA), the world's largest free-trade area among developing countries, prepares to be upgraded to version 3.0. Negotiations concluded last May, with the formal signing expected later this year.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the expo, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said that in recent years, the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership has continued to strengthen, becoming the most successful and dynamic model of regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and a living example in building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Han stated that CAEXPO and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit are major events that strengthen the friendship between China and ASEAN and serve as important platforms for regional development and cooperation. He also expressed his hope that all participants will make full use of these platforms to share opportunities and build the future together.
Over the past two decades, CAEXPO has become more than just a trade and investment exhibition. It has evolved into a catalyst for deeper integration, innovation, and long-term growth, said ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.
CAFTA 3.0 sends a strong message that ASEAN and China remain committed to upholding a rules-based trading system, even amid rising geopolitical tensions and global uncertainty, Kao said. CAFTA 3.0 has gone further by making technology and innovation central to cooperation, while deepening supply chain integration and regional prosperity.
