Editor's note: Lyu Yue, a special commentator for CGTN, is the vice dean of the School of International Trade and Economics, University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), and the director of the Lab for Global Innovation & Governance, UIBE. Chen Yanbing is a PhD candidate at the school. The article reflects the authors' views and not necessarily those of CGTN.

On September 17, the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) opened in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Themed "CAFTA 3.0 Opportunities, Better Life," it follows the milestone opening of the Pinglu Canal in Guangxi to commercial navigation.

The canal is a flagship backbone project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a major trade and transport network that connects landlocked western China to Southeast Asia and global markets beyond. This edition of the CAEXPO features a dedicated thematic exhibition pavilion alongside a comprehensive series of promotional activities, integrating the canal into a major multilateral economic and trade cooperation platform. 

This strategic alignment fosters a powerful mechanism of mutual empowerment between a high-level trade fair and critical transport infrastructure, one that will give new dynamic momentum to regional economic cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Once the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) 3.0 Upgrade Protocol takes effect, emerging domains such as the digital economy, green development and supply chain connectivity will be formally incorporated into the institutional framework. However, translating trade intentions into concrete commercial performance requires deep integration between physical infrastructure and institutional openness.

The Pinglu Canal reduces transport distances and logistics costs via seamless river-to-sea intermodal transit while mitigating external shipping risks. Furthermore, driven by innovations in maritime governance and smart dispatch systems, it will be a vital operational testbed for standard mutual recognition and industrial alignment under CAFTA 3.0.

In terms of green development, this edition of CAEXPO comprehensively upgraded its green and low-carbon exhibition area, aligning closely with the sustainable economic cooperation framework established under CAFTA 3.0. Multilateral negotiations focus heavily on key agenda items such as low-carbon technology transfer, green product certification and carbon footprint accounting, ultimately yielding a substantial batch of green industrial partnerships.

The Pinglu Canal embodies world-class engineering and ecological standards. Besides constructing dedicated fish migration channels and terrestrial wildlife ecological corridors, the waterway will see the commercial deployment of 5,000-tonne river-to-sea vessels. 

Capitalizing on the low-emission advantages of inland water transport, it is carving out a bi-directional low-carbon logistics corridor uniquely positioned to service the export of clean energy equipment and novel materials from southwest China to global markets. Simultaneously, it will facilitate the flow of green agricultural, forestry and mineral resources from ASEAN countries.

On the digital front, the CAEXPO has expanded its digital footprint by introducing an AI Pavilion and a Future Space Pavilion to advance cross-border digital trade and smart logistics technologies. By driving alignment in cross-border logistics documentation and digital port protocols, it is transitioning digital tech from static displays to real-world deployment across ASEAN.

The Pinglu Canal, China's first smart canal, deploys an integrated river-to-sea smart dispatch and digital twin platform. This system enables single-declaration, all-route transit, streamlining digital data flows across intermodal operations. Consequently, digital trade concepts forged at the CAEXPO can be validated within the canal’s smart shipping framework, extending discussions from conference rooms to port operations and accelerating a digital collaboration model of "R&D in Beijing-Shanghai-Guangzhou, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN."

Finally, addressing CAFTA 3.0's demands for supply chain integration, the CAEXPO has launched an innovative "big leads small" model: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can directly follow leading "anchor" enterprises to expand their presence. Through targeted matchmaking, leading enterprises connect with downstream SMEs, boosting intermediate goods trade and cross-border industrial co-development.

Complementing this, the Pinglu Canal substantially shortens inland shipping routes to ASEAN, slashes overall logistics expenses, reduces transit friction and enhances the multi-modal transport network across Southwest China. Agreements secured at the expo for supply chain investments and bulk commodity trade can now leverage the canal to minimize fulfillment costs, expanding ASEAN access for inland enterprises.

In turn, ASEAN port and business resources mobilized by the CAEXPO can direct cross-border cargo back to the canal, establishing a robust dual-empowerment loop that reinforces regional supply chain security and shared prosperity.

From policy negotiations at the CAEXPO to vessel traffic along the waterway, the CAEXPO and the Pinglu Canal demonstrate a powerful synergy between platform and corridor. Consensuses on institutional openness are transcending conference halls, converting through river-to-sea shipping channels into tangible trade volume and economic value. By unlocking growth across green, digital and industrial domains, this framework translates the promises of CAFTA 3.0 into concrete progress, advancing a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

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