"After the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol comes into effect, the two sides will take advantage of new opportunities to cultivate new growth momentum in digitalization, artificial intelligence, green industry and renewable energy, and achieve greater mutual benefit and win-win cooperation." During the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo, ASEAN Secretary-General Gao Jinhong said in a joint interview with the media that the opportunities of the Free Trade Area 3.0 will open up new paths for both sides to accelerate the construction of an integrated market, innovate cooperation, and common prosperity, and promote high-quality cooperation between the two sides to enter a new stage.
This year is a landmark year for China-ASEAN relations. The two sides celebrate the fifth anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership and the 35th anniversary of the establishment of a dialogue relationship. "Over the past 35 years, the relationship between ASEAN and China has developed steadily. The two sides have established more than 60 cross-field cooperation mechanisms under the three pillars of political security, economy and social culture. Cooperation in various fields has achieved fruitful results. In the past five years, the relationship between ASEAN and China has continued to expand, deepen and consolidate. I believe that driven by the opportunities of the Free Trade Area 3.0, ASEAN and China's economic and trade relations will become closer and the areas of cooperation will continue to expand." Gao Jinhong said.
In 2025, the trade volume between China and ASEAN exceeded US$1 trillion for the first time, reaching US$1.05 trillion, a year-on-year increase of 7.4%. China has remained ASEAN's largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, and ASEAN has been China's largest trading partner for six consecutive years. In the first eight months of this year, the total trade value between China and ASEAN reached 5.95 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 20.6%. "The data confirms the development of the relationship between the two parties. Despite facing various challenges, we have always walked hand in hand." Gao Jinhong said that coordination between the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement should be strengthened to provide greater convenience for corporate trade and investment, especially to help small, medium and micro enterprises more effectively participate in the deep integration of regional production and supply chains, and obtain tangible benefits from the opportunities of the Free Trade Area 3.0.
Gao Jinhong spoke highly of the key role played by the China-ASEAN Expo in promoting trade, tourism economy, and personnel exchanges between ASEAN countries and China. "Today, the China-ASEAN Expo has become an important platform for ASEAN to expand and deepen cooperation with China, and has accumulated mutual trust for both sides to deepen practical cooperation." He said that he expected the China-ASEAN Expo to continue to play a key role in transforming the opportunities created by the Free Trade Area 3.0 into stronger business partnerships, broader participation and new sources of growth, and to help ASEAN and China develop and progress together.
The Pinglu Canal has created a water transportation channel from southwest China to ASEAN with shorter voyages, lower costs, and more convenient transportation. "This is a canal with important historical significance." Gao Jinhong believes that a large amount of goods between ASEAN and China need to be transported through ports. The Pinglu Canal will help reduce logistics costs, improve transportation stability, enhance regional economic competitiveness, and open up new opportunities for both sides to deepen practical cooperation.
Currently, ASEAN countries are advancing negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement. Gao Jinhong said that with the continuous development of the digital economy, digital cooperation is expected to become an important direction for future cooperation between ASEAN and China. "The 3.0 version of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area covers digitalization-related content. It is hoped that ASEAN and China will strengthen innovation cooperation and share the dividends of artificial intelligence, which will not only benefit the business community, but also benefit the people of both sides and improve the overall digitalization level of the ASEAN region." Gao Jinhong said.
