Address by Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang at opening ceremony of 23rd China-ASEAN Expo, China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit
Remarks by H.E. Ding Xuexiang
Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China
At the Opening Ceremony of the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit
Nanning, September 17, 2026
Honorable Leaders,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
Good morning. In the golden autumn with the fragrance of osmanthus, it is a great pleasure to join you in Nanning, Guangxi for the opening ceremony of the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS). Themed on "CAFTA 3.0 Opportunities, Better Life," the Expo and the Summit have great relevance. On behalf of the Chinese government, I would like to express warm congratulations on the opening of the Expo and the Summit and extend a hearty welcome to all distinguished guests.
The Chinese government attaches great importance to the building of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA). In November 2021, at the Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations, President Xi Jinping proposed launching a new round of upgrades to the CAFTA at an early date, enhancing the level of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and expanding cooperation in new areas like digital economy and green economy, which has charted the course for promoting the higher-level development of the CAFTA.
We have traveled an extraordinary journey in building and developing the CAFTA. In November 2002, the two sides signed the Framework Agreement on China-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Cooperation, officially launching the building of the CAFTA. In January 2010, CAFTA 1.0 was completed as scheduled, which realized zero-tariff access at a large scale and opened up a new chapter in advancing China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation. In October 2019, the 2.0 Upgrade Protocol fully entered into force, which focused on expanding opening up in the service sector and market access for investment, and took our economic and trade cooperation to a new level. In November 2022, China and ASEAN officially launched negotiations on CAFTA 3.0, with a view to fostering a more inclusive, modern, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial CAFTA. With the concerted efforts of both sides, the CAFTA 3.0 Upgrade Protocol has been formally signed. At present, the two sides are going through their respective legal procedures and expediting its entry into force and implementation.
Since its completion, the CAFTA has enjoyed steady operation and produced fruitful outcomes. Our trade has grown robustly. China has remained the largest trading partner of ASEAN for 17 years running, and ASEAN has been China's largest trading partner for six consecutive years. In 2025, our trade exceeded US$1 trillion, increasing by 18 times compared with that of 2002. Our investment cooperation has continued to deepen, with two-way cumulative investment exceeding US$510 billion. A number of major cooperation projects have made solid progress. The China-Laos railway has helped transform Laos from a landlocked to a land-linked country, and the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway in Indonesia has put in place a fast lane of development. The industrial and supply chains have been deeply integrated. Steady progress has been made in the China-Malaysia and China-Indonesia "Two Countries, Twin Parks" projects and the construction of the China-Laos Cross-Border Economic Cooperation Zone, and the cross-border network for division of labor has been improved. The people's well-being has been enhanced -- economic and trade cooperation has created a large number of jobs and broadened channels for raising people's income, delivering tangible benefits to all our peoples. With the development of the CAFTA, the two sides now witness a daily average of more than 100,000 mutual visits, and mutual understanding and affinity has become increasingly solid.
Over the years, the CAFTA has strongly promoted regional economic integration and development, and become an important platform for the two sides to build a community with a shared future. Under the changing and turbulent international circumstances, this region has maintained peace, stability, prosperity, and development, consolidated political trust, deepened openness and cooperation, facilitated connectivity, and tightened people-to-people bonds. This is a testament to the important role of the CAFTA and sets a stellar example for fellow Global South countries to realize common development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
Looking back, we have gained fruitful results; looking ahead, we need to move forward hand in hand. After coming into effect, the CAFTA 3.0 Upgrade Protocol will forge greater synergy with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and inject enduring impetus into economic development in the region. Now, I wish to make four proposals on how to build a higher-level CAFTA.
First, we should advance a comprehensive improvement of opening up in the region. Tailored to the characteristics and needs of this region, the 3.0 Upgrade Protocol has incorporated high-standard trade and economic rules, explored ways to build more robust cooperation frameworks and institutionalized arrangements, and will provide stronger institutional support for regional cooperation and development. We should deepen cooperation in standards, technical regulations, and conformity assessment, strengthen institution building in competition, consumer protection, and micro, small, and medium enterprises, and move faster toward an integrated regional market that is open, inclusive, and rules-based. China will expand high-standard opening up, expand market access, and open up more areas, particularly in the service sector. We will share development opportunities with ASEAN and promote deep regional economic integration and long-term and stable development.
Second, we should upgrade cooperation in trade and investment. Together, China and ASEAN member states have a quarter of the world's population, and a combined economic output of US$23 trillion. We have diverse resources and our industries are highly complementary. The two sides have set higher-standard commitments and arrangements for trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, demonstrating our confidence and determination for jointly tackling challenges in international trade and economy. We should practice true multilateralism, further expand and deepen economic and trade cooperation, and work together to safeguard stable and smooth industrial and supply chains in this region and beyond. China has a complete industrial system and a vast market. We are ready to leverage these advantages, increase two-way investment cooperation with ASEAN, import more fine products from ASEAN countries, and make our cooperation outcomes better benefit people in the region.
Third, we should deepen and cement cooperation in emerging areas. Extending high-standard opening up and cooperation to emerging areas such as digital economy and green economy marks a new breakthrough in free trade cooperation between China and ASEAN countries. We should seize opportunities of the ongoing technological revolution and industrial transformation, work together to advance the development of digital economy in the region, deepen cooperation in technology R&D and scenario-based applications in areas including AI, and fully unleash innovation-driven efficiency. We should work to remove trade barriers to environmental goods and services, and promote mutual reinforcement of green development and economic and trade cooperation. China stands ready to enhance experience sharing with ASEAN member states and provide advanced technologies and products, with a view to creating a new engine for high-quality development in the region.
Fourth, we should make connectivity more convenient and efficient. Linked by mountains and rivers, China and ASEAN countries have unique advantages in connectivity, which is an important underpinning of economic and trade exchanges. We should promote the construction of infrastructure such as railways, highways, ports, and airports, and advance physical connectivity and institutional connectivity in a coordinated way, so as to provide strong support for regional economic integration. Southeast Asia is home to many natural deep-water ports and over 60 percent of trade in goods between China and ASEAN member states are transported by sea. Yesterday, the Pinglu Canal connecting Nanning and the Beibu Bay officially opened. It shortens the transport distance between the hinterlands of Southwest China and ASEAN by 560 kilometers, and greatly reduces the logistics costs. China is ready to work with ASEAN to comprehensively enhance connectivity, actively develop multi-modal logistics, remove choke points of cross-border logistics, and pursue high-level development of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
As results-oriented platforms for advancing regional economic integration, CAEXPO and CABIS have witnessed, participated in, and contributed to the development of the CAFTA. I hope all participants will engage in in-depth discussions and exchanges, pool broad consensus, and work for more outcomes. China is ready to work with ASEAN countries to continue developing and making full use of the platforms, build a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, and make greater contributions to prosperity and stability in the region and beyond.
To conclude, I wish today's event a great success, and wish our distinguished guests good health and every success. Thank you.
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