Xinhua Commentary: Free trade, AI make China-ASEAN economic cooperation closer, more fruitful

BYD's 90,000th locally made NEV is seen in Rayong province, Thailand, on July 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Sun Weitong)

NANNING, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Amid global uncertainties and the rise of protectionism, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are forging ahead to deepen their integration.

This commitment is epitomized by the full conclusion of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 upgrade negotiations, which was announced in May and is an achievement that promises to bolster economic ties.

With its negotiations lasting more than two years, the upgraded pact extends to new areas such as digital economy, green development and supply chain connectivity.

Boosted by this landmark upgrade and an AI boom, the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo, scheduled to open on Wednesday in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is expected to showcase new cooperation momentum and potential. The annual event has this year drawn more than 3,200 exhibitors from 60 countries -- as global firms flock to tap into two of the world's most open and dynamic markets.

Notably, the five-day expo features a 10,000-square-meter AI pavilion, a pavilion of new quality productive forces, and an exhibition area for the blue economy. In addition, green and low-carbon technologies and new energy vehicles are also among the highlights of this edition of the expo. These fields have significant growth prospects in terms of China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation.

Advanced manufacturing and digital infrastructure are poised to fuel this growth.

In the field of digital infrastructure, China's investments have accelerated in both scale and scope. These include investments in the 5G sector -- which is a key enabler of AI, with a number of Chinese tech giants participating in related digital projects.

Guangxi, as China's southern gateway to ASEAN, is at the forefront of this integration. Its proximity to ASEAN has made it a vanguard of cross-border cooperation programs.

AI, which is set to transform investment landscapes, has emerged as the linchpin for future collaboration, as ASEAN countries embrace digital transformation, underscoring their strong desire for deepening cooperation with China in the regard.

China and ASEAN countries are seeing robust momentum in AI cooperation. In April 2025, Guangxi Beitou IT Innovation Technology Investment Group Co., Ltd. partnered with MY E.G. Services Berhad, Malaysia's leading digital services company, to develop an AI innovation and cooperation center -- focusing on areas such as blockchain applications and robotics.

Meanwhile, the China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Collaborative Innovation Center in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi, has signed contracts with 16 enterprises from ASEAN countries, which will help boost industrial upgrading.

China has remained ASEAN's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, while ASEAN has been China's largest trading partner for five straight years.

As global trade continues to be affected by volatility, China-ASEAN cooperation stands out as a model of stability. By enhancing trade frameworks and embracing AI, China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation is set to become even more dynamic and deliver even greater win-win outcomes.