22nd China-ASEAN Expo set to open in south China's Nanning

The 22nd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) is set to open on Wednesday in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

All inbound exhibits had arrived by Sunday afternoon and preparations are nearly complete for the event that promises to further boost trade ties and deepen economic integration between China and its largest trading partner.

Pang Xiaoning, a senior official with Nanning Customs, said that Nanning Customs implemented 15 measures to ensure efficient clearance and smooth exhibition setup. These include dedicated channels for exhibition goods and simplified procedures to support ASEAN countries in showcasing specialty foods and cosmetics.

According to the latest data released by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), China's trade in goods with ASEAN grew 9.7 percent year on year in the first eight months of this year, with ASEAN remaining China's largest trading partner.

During the period, China's imports and exports with ASEAN reached 4.93 trillion yuan, accounting for 16.7 percent of the country's total foreign trade and outpacing China's overall trade growth rate by 6.2 percentage points.

Lyu Daliang, an official from the GACC, noted that China's trade with ASEAN has maintained growth for 18 consecutive months, with nearly double-digit growth so far this year. He added that the upcoming CAEXPO, alongside the progress toward the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (also known as CAFTA 3.0), will further expand areas of cooperation, deepen regional industrial and supply chain integration, and advance economic integration.