Nearly $60 billion worth of deals have been signed at the 19th China-ASEAN Expo and Investment Summit in the southern China city of Nanning. The deals involve over 260 projects, most of which are in the areas of high end metal new materials, modern agriculture, environmental protection, and machinery and equipment manufacturing. This year marks the first year since China and ASEAN upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. It is also the first year that the world's largest free trade agreement, RCEP, has come into effect. The China-ASEAN Expo has become a major platform for cooperation among members of the RCEP.