This photo shows a scene at the main hall of CAEXPO between Sept 12-15 in Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.  (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Upgrading of the China-ASEAN free trade area has acquired new momentum thanks to the 15th China-ASEAN Expo and 15th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit which closed on Sept 15 in Nanning, said organizers.

Wang Lei, secretary-general of the CAEXPO Secretariat, said 11 incumbent and former Chinese and foreign state leaders attended this year’s events, including Chinese Vice-Premier Han Zheng and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Also participating were a total of 259 officials at the ministerial level, including 122 from ASEAN members and other countries and regions outside China.

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During the week, the leaders and officials and business people have expressed their support for multilateral free trade mechanisms and harmony and consensus-building through dialogues and exchanges to achieve a closer community of peace and prosperity.

The expo has offered great opportunities for ASEAN governments and private businesses, Laotian Deputy Prime Minister Somdy Douangdy, told the media. “CAEXPO is playing an important role,” he said, adding the related events during the week also facilitate exchange of experiences between the nations and are conducive to mutual understanding and cooperation.

Huang Xilian, Chinese ambassador to ASEAN, led his ASEAN counterparts and senior ASEAN Secretariat officials on a “Heart-Touching Tour Beyond Borders” that visited Beijing, Nanning and Hangzhou. In Nanning, they attended a China-ASEAN Cultural Exchange event that saw the launch of a cultural documentary titled Dan’s Way, which depicts life of ordinary ASEAN people.

The CAEXPO Roundtable Meeting on Investment Cooperation is held on Sept 12 in Nanning, China. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Themed "Jointly Building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Forging the China-ASEAN Community of Innovation," this year's expo 91 forums and promotion activities that lift friendly cooperation between China and ASEAN to a new level.

During the days participants shared vision of thinkers and professionals in the region, strong will of government leaders and business people to build a closer community for peace and prosperity, and active participation of ordinary people in working for a better future.

Service trade, especially tourism, gained new impetus, with dedicated forums and promotions throughout the week from a number of ASEAN nations and Tanzania

Wang cited major fruits from the events in marking the 15th anniversary of China-ASEAN strategic partnership, coordination in science and technology including on traditional medicine, digital economy, China-Singapore connectivity channels, agricultural cooperation, international partnership in capacity building, entrepreneurs’ agreement on new funds and roundtables, as well deals in finance and investment and think tank consensus.

Eight ASEAN members had their own pavilions this year. Altogether 2,789 exhibitors showcased their products at 6,600 booths, a 2.6 percent growth from last year, according to the secretariat. 

ASEAN farm produce, consumption goods, light industry products joined Chinese exhibits which also drew purchasers from Europe, Africa and South America.

Service trade, especially on tourism, gained new impetus, with dedicated forums and promotions throughout the week from a number of ASEAN nations and Tanzania. Investment deals also drew partners from European and American countries.

Agreements were reached on 76 international projects of economic cooperation and more than 450 projects in China, said Wang.

Cultural exchanges are drawing more attention this year. For the first time, Jakarta-based permanent representatives to ASEAN grouped themselves as a special delegation to the event, championing people-to-people exchanges. Apart from think tank exchanges, the events also included China-ASEAN Cultural Forum, MOUs on theatre cooperation, an international folk song festival, and the China-ASEAN Red Cross Humanity Forum.

ASEAN exhibits draw lots of attention at the 15th CAEXPO in Nanning.  (SHI RUIPENG / CHINA DAILY)

An event is devoted to online culture. The China-ASEAN Information Harbor Network-based Cultural Development Forum drew guests from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and China. Together they discussed trends for web literature, gaming and audio-visual communications. 

Among less than 40 forums, the Forum and Council Meeting of China-ASEAN University (Country and Regional Studies) Think Tank Network highlighted concerted efforts of China and ASEAN members in building harmony in diversity for lasting peace.

Zhang Yunling, director of international study department of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said ASEAN and China together are helping to modify international order toward harmony building which is a tradition of Asia.

A special exhibition hall brings products from dozens of countries along modern Silk Road countries, pooling special interest among visitors

Yu Hongjun, vice president of Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament, noted the success of the Belt and Road Initiative may let people chew more of the emerging concerns such as fund shortages, environmental issues and terrorism threats. CAEXPO is here to help discuss them and find solutions, according to the participants.

Trade and investment are coupled with new technology and information-based applications. The Production Capacity and Investment Cooperation Forum Among Lancang-Mekong Countries on Sept 13 explored ways to better adopt and implement action plans and build multiple parks in multiple nations.

Ning Jizhe, deputy chief of the National Development and Reform Commission, told the forum that further deepening regional cooperation to raise operational efficiency and quality of products and services is practical and positive for the nations to cope with changing global circumstances and consolidate healthy growth of every one.  

Several forums were related to information technology in the new era, including China-ASEAN Information Harbor Forum on Application of Satellite Products on Sept 11, China-ASEAN Information Harbor Forum on Sept 12, China-ASEAN Information Harbor Digital Silk Road Industry Cooperation Forum on Sept 13, and China-ASEAN Information harbor Forum on New Type of Small Cities.

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Besides innovation, connectivity will also play an important role in facilitating trade, and Chinese inland regions such as Chongqing, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu and Hebei are making showbiz here together with promotions of Cambodia, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Laos, and Tanzania.

Bandar Seri Begawan of Brunei, Kampong Thom Province of Cambodia, West Sumatera Province of Indonesia, Vientiane of Lao PDR, Sarawak of Malaysia, Pha-An City of Myanmar, Tarlac Province of the Philippines, Singapore, Chumphon of Thailand, and Ben Tre Province of Viet Nam joined Beihai of Guangxi in taking role of CAEXPO Cities of Charm this year.

Belt and Road engagement remains one of the hot topics. Several forums are flagging its brand on agriculture, infrastructure building, information connectivity and others. A special exhibition hall brings products from dozens of countries along modern Silk Road countries, pooling special interest among visitors.

The China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) has been co-sponsored by ministries/department of commerce or industry and trade of China and the 10 ASEAN member states as well as the ASEAN Secretariat, and is organized by the People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

All 10 ASEAN members have been country of honor at the events at least once, with Brunei and Cambodia (this year) twice. 

Zhang Li and Mo Jingxi contributed to this story.