On December 28, 2024, the "China-ASEAN International Forum on Economic and Trade Cooperation," jointly organized by the China International Economic Cooperation Society and Guangxi University, was successfully convened at Guangxi University. Centered on the theme of "China-ASEAN Economic and Trade Cooperation and High-Quality Development," the forum attracted over 150 participants, including experts and scholars from ASEAN countries such as Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as representatives from prestigious domestic universities like Tsinghua University and Peking University, and leading think tanks. The forum focused on exploring opportunities and challenges in economic and trade collaboration between China and ASEAN, aiming to drive high-quality development in the regional economy.

Live Forum Moments

At the opening ceremony, Chen Jian, former Vice Minister of China’s Ministry of Commerce; Li Guuzhong, Party Secretary of Guangxi University; and Gao Yuanyuan, President of the China International Economic Cooperation Society, delivered keynote addresses. Chen Jian reflected on the 33-year journey of China-ASEAN cooperation since the establishment of dialogue relations in 1991, emphasizing milestones in trade and investment, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP). He urged both sides to deepen collaboration in addressing global economic uncertainties. Li Guozhong highlighted Guangxi’s strategic role as China’s gateway to ASEAN, pledging to amplify its geographical and policy advantages to elevate bilateral cooperation. Gao Yuanyuan announced the completion of substantive negotiations for the upgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) 3.0, noting enhanced alignment in standards and rules as a catalyst for a new era of mutual prosperity.

The forum unveiled two significant research achievements: Research Report on the Transfer of Chinese Industries to Southeast Asia Under New Circumstances and 2024 China-ASEAN Financial Development and Cooperation Report. The former analyzed the characteristics of the fifth wave of international industrial transfer, revealing the current status, trends, and driving forces behind the relocation of Chinese industries to Southeast Asia. It proposed recommendations such as strengthening centralized coordination, improving government services, and enhancing innovation-driven strategies. The latter provided a comprehensive overview of the current state of financial cooperation between China and ASEAN, offering a holistic perspective from economic and financial development to future collaboration prospects.

During the keynote session, scholars and experts from ASEAN institutions—including Malaysia’s Tunku Abdul Rahman University, Thailand’s Chiang Mai University, Cambodia’s Royal University of Phnom Penh, and Vietnam National University, Hanoi—alongside representatives from China’s Ministry of Commerce Research Institute, the Financial Affairs Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Party Committee, and the Central Party School, engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as the impact of China’s “Three Major Initiatives” on regional cooperation mechanisms, the role of China-Europe freight trains in reshaping global supply chains, growth trends in China-ASEAN-Cambodia trade and foreign direct investment, and the potential for China-Vietnam economic collaboration. Participants consistently emphasized that deepening China-ASEAN regional cooperation is a critical pathway to addressing global economic challenges and achieving high-quality development.

The sub-forums focused on topics including "China-ASEAN Digital Economy Cooperation," "Financial Services Supporting High-Quality Industrial Collaboration," and "Advancing the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) Version 3.0 Development," resulting in multiple cooperative intentions. Participating experts stated that they will leverage this forum as a platform to further strengthen collaboration, elevate China-ASEAN economic and trade relations to a higher level, and contribute to building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

The successful convening of the forum has generated a series of innovative perspectives, offering pathways and strategies for deepening China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation amid the restructuring of global industrial chains. It has also laid a solid foundation for the implementation of follow-up collaborative projects.

Expert Panel Discussion in Action

Translated by:  Chen Xinjian

Written by:  Wei Lixia

Edited by:  Li Yeqiu