A Guangzhou news conference on Wednesday promoted the upcoming 2026 ASEAN-China (Guangdong) Trade Promotion and Supply Chain Cooperation Mechanism Exchange Conference, with officials outlining the industrial complementarity between Guangdong and ASEAN as the event's central theme.

The conference, first held in Guangzhou last year, will run from Wednesday to Thursday next week, drawing more than 1,000 government officials, business executives, academics, and industry representatives. The ASEAN-China Centre, an intergovernmental body established between China and ASEAN, has joined as a co-organizer this year.

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Yao Xinmin, vice-chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Guangdong Committee, said this year's event would focus on artificial intelligence-driven industrial upgrading, new energy cooperation, and industrial and supply chain coordination.

Ou Shaobin, deputy director of the trade, investment promotion and development research department of the CCPIT Guangdong Committee, made a case for complementarity between the province and ASEAN. Guangdong, he said, offers mature industrial chains and strong manufacturing capacity across photovoltaic power, wind power, energy storage, new energy vehicles, and hydrogen energy. ASEAN nations, by contrast, hold upstream resource advantages in materials such as nickel ore and bauxite, alongside substantial demand for photovoltaic infrastructure, electric two-wheelers, and energy storage systems.

"The two sides have forged a sound complementary model featuring 'Guangdong manufacturing plus ASEAN resources' and 'Guangdong technologies paired with ASEAN markets'," Ou said.

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The conference will feature thematic dialogues, keynote speeches, seminars and discussions.