The main venue of the 22nd East Expo ¨C Guangzhou Nanjing International Exhibition Center.

From September 17th to 21st, the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit were held in Nanning, Guangxi, attracting more than 3,200 enterprises from 60 countries and regions around the world.

The theme of this year's East Expo is "Digital Intelligence Empowers Development, Innovation Leads the Future-Helping Build a Community of Shared Future with the New Opportunities of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0", which focuses on the latest development achievements between China and ASEAN countries in the fields of cooperation in emerging industries, trade and investment exchanges, cultural exchanges and mutual learning, and has built an important platform for promoting friendly exchanges between China and ASEAN and deepening regional development cooperation.

There are broad opportunities for artificial intelligence

This year, the first 10,000 square meters of artificial intelligence specialty and new quality productivity specialty created at the Tokyo Expo is remarkable. Here, robots showcase ¡°18th art¡±: there are boxing skills with the audience on the scene, and there are street dances that jump to life. This year, the Tokyo Expo will make the AI ¡°song the main character¡±, host China-ASEAN artificial intelligence ministerial forum for the first time, released a list of AI-oriented future unicorn enterprises aimed at ASEAN, artificial intelligence or artificial intelligence empowerment exhibitions accounted for more than 50% of China¡¯s exhibition area.

Indonesian AI startup AiSensum participated in the East Expo for the first time this year.The company's general manager Viveka told reporters that the AI+ ASEAN enterprise theme exhibition area set up by the AI specialty has provided an important platform for ASEAN national AI enterprises to connect with the Chinese market and expand cooperation.China's AI technology is at the forefront, we learn to draw on the experience of many Chinese enterprises and look forward to the continuous deepening of ASEAN and China's AI cooperation.

¡°The East Expo enhanced our mutual understanding with Chinese enterprises.We and China North Investment and Creation Group jointly build and operate China-Malaysia AI Innovation Cooperation Center, strengthen research and development cooperation in the fields of cutting-edge algorithm, digital technology, intelligent transportation and other fields, and serve the people of both countries,¡± said MYEG Group market manager Guo Hyeong.

ASEAN Secretary-General Gao Jinhong said that China's artificial intelligence technology is developing very rapidly, and the cooperation between ASEAN and China in this field has broad prospects. "ASEAN looks forward to deeper and broader ASEAN-China artificial intelligence cooperation, which is consistent with the development goals of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 and will further promote the economic development of both sides."

Regional economic integration benefits all parties

"I saw durian oil for the first time and learned that it can be used for skin care and hair care." Meng Lanmei, a foreign trade businessman in Guangxi, told reporters, "I come to the East Expo almost every year, and I make new discoveries every time." She tried durian oil with great interest in front of the booth of Vietnam Royal Avocado Import and Export Co., Ltd. This Vietnamese company participated in the East Expo for the first time, and reached a trade cooperation intention with four Chinese enterprises on the first day.

Last year, Malaysia Granulom Granulom Ice Cream Co., Ltd. won the Gold Award at the Tokyo Expo Exhibition Exhibition Selection Event. This year, after the company again won the award last year, our ice cream products expanded in the market in China. As China-Malaysian Xinjiang Industrial Park construction continued to advance, Guangxi accelerated the construction of cross-regional cross-border industrial supply chain, our Granulom ice cream shipping from Malaysia to the Chinese market became more convenient.

¡°Despite the uncertainty of the global economy, ASEAN and China remain each other¡¯s largest trading partners, and direct investment between the two sides is growing steadily.¡±Cambodia¡¯s Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Uon Seveso, said at the opening ceremony of the East Expo that the construction of ASEAN-China Free Trade Zone 3.0 will push regional economic integration into a new phase, not only to promote trade growth, but will also benefit both companies and citizens in the fields of digital economy, green economy, supply chain, connectivity, and ASEAN-China¡¯s future community will therefore be closer.

Pakistan's bronze crafts, Sri Lanka's cinnamon spices ... This east exhibition also set up the "Belt and Road" international exhibition area, the country's characteristics of products are full of light. Pakistani food merchant Ali told reporters that after more than 20 years of development, the meaning of the east exhibition platform has not only been limited to China and ASEAN countries, many neighbouring countries, the "Belt and Road" countries also actively participate in it, share the dividends of economic development, but also to contribute to global stability and prosperity.

The successful holding of the Expo further deepens the comprehensive strategic partnership between ASEAN and China, establishes an important platform for cooperation in areas such as trade, investment and tourism, and makes an important contribution to the further development of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Zone.

Human exchanges promote mutual understanding

China and ASEAN countries are linked by mountains and rivers and have cultural exchanges, and have a long history of friendly exchanges. The East Expo is not only a grand gathering of trade and investment between China and ASEAN countries, but also an important platform to promote personnel exchanges and people-to-people bonds between the two sides.

At this east exhibition, Guilin City served as China's "City of Charme", and the exhibition area presented Guilin's innovative practice and vision for the future of world-class tourism city construction through cutting-edge intelligent technology. Laos State Vice-President Hunton presented at the opening ceremony that Laos' "City of Charme" of Laos, and welcomed the guests of the east exhibition to visit Laos' exhibition hall. He said that the Expo made an important contribution to promoting ASEAN and China's cultural exchanges. ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year continues to be held in 2025, and the two sides continue to carry out various exchanges and activities to close the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

The East Expo launched the China-ASEAN Youth Leader Growth Program last year for the first time, building a platform for international exchanges and cooperation through the "Dialogue + Study" cultivation model to enhance the understanding and mutual learning of outstanding young people between the two sides.The Thai Trade Ministry's Deputy Secretary-General, Ekhaz Zidavola, said that the Thai delegation participated in this "very beneficial" project, and Thailand supported the continued implementation of the program, promoting exchanges and joint progress between ASEAN countries and Chinese youth, and playing the role of youth in deepening ASEAN China cooperation.

In recent years, with the continuous facilitation of visa policies between China and ASEAN countries, personnel exchanges between the two sides have continued to be hot. From January to August this year, there were more than 25.244 million personnel exchanges between mainland Chinese residents and ASEAN countries, a year-on-year increase of 11.2%. Gao Jinhong said that close personnel exchanges will promote mutual understanding, mutual understanding and trust between ASEAN countries and Chinese people. It is expected that the China-East Expo will further promote cultural exchanges between the two sides, and use the ASEAN-China Tourism Ministers' Meeting and other mechanisms to promote tourism cooperation.

As a platform for continuously shaping the future of ASEAN-China cooperation, the Expo, after more than 20 years of development, is far more than a showcase window for trade investment, but also a booster for integration, innovation and long-term growth.In today's uncertain global environment, the Expo has superior conditions, can bridge between trade and technology, market and innovation, today's opportunities and the possibilities of tomorrow.

Malaysia is holding the rotating presidency of ASEAN this year.Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Water Transition, Fadiela, said that the East Expo has made a lasting contribution to promoting regional economic cooperation and connected development, bringing tangible benefits to ASEAN countries and the Chinese people.This East Expo will further deepen the friendship, trust and economic partnership between ASEAN and China and bring more development opportunities.

(This newspaper reporter congratulations, Wang Dung Liu participated in the selection)