Ready for a dive into digital trade? The 22nd China-ASEAN Expo and Business & Investment Summit just wrapped up in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from Sept 17 to 21, and it was lit! 🔥 Over 3,200 companies from 60 countries and regions showed up, proving our region is the place to be for innovation and growth.
This year’s theme was “Digital Intelligence and Innovation Empower Development – Leveraging ASEAN-China FTA 3.0 for a Closer Community with a Shared Future.” Basically, it’s all about using smart tech to level up trade. Think AI, big data, and cloud power: a brand-new 10,000 m2 AI Pavilion featured nearly 200 heavy-hitters – from Huawei to Alibaba Cloud to iFlytek – plus a ton of startups ready to shake things up 🤖🚀.
Why It Matters
2023 marks the 15th anniversary of the China–ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA). Since 2010, and with a big upgrade in 2019, CAFTA has slashed tariffs and boosted trade. Now, the FTA 3.0 protocol is speeding things up again – paving the way for smoother cross-border biz, stronger supply chains, and fresh chances for Southeast Asia and the Chinese mainland to grow together.
Building Resilient Supply Chains
With rising trade barriers and a bumpy global economy, our region needs reliable links more than ever. By boosting cooperation on smart manufacturing, green energy, shipping, and smart agriculture, this expo helps keep goods moving and investments flowing. It’s a reminder that ASEAN and the Chinese mainland have each other’s backs 👍.
Looking Ahead
From the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to deeper Global South ties, CAFTA 3.0 is set to shape the next wave of growth for millions here. For young pros eyeing tech careers, startups dreaming big, or anyone curious about where regional trade is headed – this expo is the place to watch.
Stay tuned as digital intelligence keeps powering our shared future! 🌏✨
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
