CAFTA 3.0 Trade Expo
China-ASEAN Expo showcases new free trade opportunities and artificial intelligence innovations in Nanning.
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Key Points
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The expo will occupy about 170,000 square meters in Nanning, with science and technology authorities and high-tech institutions from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand sending delegations.
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China-ASEAN bilateral trade exceeded $1 trillion for the first time in 2025, reaching $1.05 trillion—an increase of 7.4 percent year on year.
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The Bundaberg delegation includes six local community and business representatives, along with members of the Bundaberg Regional Council’s Sister City Advisory Committee and a council economic development officer.
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Bundaberg’s program includes visits to vegetable-production facilities using agricultural robotics, as well as major infrastructure and seniors’ accommodation projects in Nanning.
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Bundaberg Regional Council said its sister-city relationship with Nanning dates to 1998, making it one of the region’s longest-standing international partnerships; the delegation will also attend the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit and the Nanning–Hanoi Economic Corridor and Belt and Road Friendship City Exchange Conference.
The 23rd China-ASEAN Expo opens September 17 in Nanning with over 3,400 companies from 70+ countries showcasing the upgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0. The five-day event marks a milestone for regional trade, which Xinhua reports exceeded $1 trillion for the first time in 2025, reaching $1.05 trillion—a 7.4% jump year-on-year. Timor-Leste joins as a full ASEAN member and co-host for the first time, uniting all 11 member nations.
The expo spans 170,000 square meters and features a dedicated AI marketplace with 500+ products, plus 50+ trade and investment events focused on digital commerce, green development, and smart logistics. An Australian delegation from Bundaberg is attending to deepen its 1998 sister-city partnership with Nanning while exploring agricultural robotics and infrastructure deals.
CAFTA 3.0 Expands Digital and Green Trade
The upgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Area shifts focus beyond traditional manufacturing into digital economies and clean energy. China Daily reports that the framework aims to lower regional trade barriers and strengthen supply chain resilience. Lin Honghong, vice-chairperson of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, emphasized that CAFTA 3.0 deepens business ties while securing cross-border production networks.
Xu Liping, director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Center for Southeast Asian Studies, noted that the bilateral relationship now centers on integrated production—Chinese firms source and produce in Southeast Asia, while ASEAN companies access China's massive domestic market. This shift requires shared digital standards and automated logistics infrastructure across the region.
AI Marketplace Matches Thousands of Business Pairs
The expo features an intelligent matchmaking system that pre-matched over 8,000 potential partner pairs and scheduled roughly 2,000 live sessions. The dedicated AI marketplace showcases 500+ products focused on smart logistics, urban management, and industrial applications. Xinhua highlighted that AI's expanding role in bilateral trade reflects both countries' commitment to technological cooperation and regional competitiveness.
The system linked 60 ASEAN infrastructure and tech project demands with 40 major Chinese firms, creating pathways for rapid deal-making. High-tech delegations from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand arrived to showcase cutting-edge capabilities and explore partnerships in emerging sectors.
Bundaberg Strengthens Sister-City Ties Through Trade
An Australian delegation from Bundaberg—six business and community representatives plus council staff—is attending the expo to strengthen its 28-year partnership with Nanning. The delegation will tour vegetable-production facilities using agricultural robotics, examine infrastructure projects, and explore seniors' accommodation development. Bundaberg Regional Council said the sister-city relationship, dating to 1998, is one of the region's longest-standing international partnerships.
The Bundaberg team will also attend the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit and the Nanning–Hanoi Economic Corridor conference. Their participation reflects how regional cities outside major capitals are leveraging CAFTA 3.0 to access Southeast Asian supply chains and Chinese markets directly. Myanmar Vice-President U Nyo Saw called the event
opening ceremony evidence of China-ASEAN economic cooperation's deepening reach across the region.
Trade Momentum Accelerates Amid Global Protectionism
China has remained ASEAN's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, while ASEAN became China's top trading partner five years ago. The $1.05 trillion bilateral trade figure in 2025 reflects steady growth despite global trade tensions. The Diplomatic Insight reported that experts view ASEAN-China economic integration as essential to shared prosperity in an era of rising protectionism and geopolitical uncertainty.
State and regional media frame the expo as an economic stabilizer providing certainty and mutual growth. The Pinglu Canal project, promoted by ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, is expected to further deepen regional trade by improving logistics infrastructure. Implementation of CAFTA 3.0 aims to jumpstart cross-border digital standards, clean-energy commerce, and automated supply chains across Southeast Asia.
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