China has been ASEAN's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, while ASEAN has remained China's top trading partner for four consecutive years, according to the Blue Book of China-ASEAN EXPO, which is released in Nanning City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Monday.
The blue book, titled "Vision on China-ASEAN Economic and Trade Cooperation," reported that trade between China and ASEAN has been growing at an average annual rate of 7.5 percent since 2013 and the bilateral trade volume reached 911.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2023.
It also pointed out the expected expansion of trade volume between the two parties and the improvement of service trade in both quantity and quality. In addition, the realization of the version 3.0 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, which was officially launched in Nov 2022, is set to offer enterprises more business opportunities.
"We have, for the first time, compiled a list of popular industries, popular companies, and popular products and used a selection of exemplary cases to offer models for collaboration. By rolling out these demonstration cases, we inspire and offer insights to other businesses. For example, popular industries like fruit processing in the primary sector, high-end equipment manufacturing in the secondary sector, and modern transportation in the tertiary sector are among the most actively collaborating industries within their categories," said Wei Zhaohui, secretary-general of the China-ASEAN Expo Secretariat.
The five-day 21st China-ASEAN Expo opened in Nanning on Tuesday.
This year's edition of the expo boasts an exhibition area of nearly 200,000 square meters and expects the participation of over 3,000 enterprises.
China remains ASEAN's largest trading partner: blue book
China remains ASEAN's largest trading partner: blue book
Alex Reporterfy, a Canadian vlogger who has lived in China for decades, has been sharing videos online that showcase the fascinating scenery and vibrant economy of Chongqing, dubbed a "cyberpunk city" by many netizens for its unique landscape and futurist architecture.
Reporterfy's story with China began 30 years ago when he visited the Canton Fair, the country's largest trade fair held in the southern city of Guangzhou. As a journalist and blogger, he likes to share glimpses of his daily life in China on social media and has garnered a substantial following on popular video-sharing platforms including YouTube and Bilibili.
"In my 30 years here in China, I've seen a remarkable change in the country. The government has invested trillions of dollars in infrastructure. Also, the investment in education, the investment in healthcare, the investment in even battery technology, for example, has helped their new energy vehicle markets prosper here. This helps the environment," he said.
Reporterfy has decided to settle in Chongqing, a southwestern city built on mountains, featuring a cityscape of ups and downs and scattered buildings. Over the years, he has been deeply captivated by the city's awe-inspiring natural sceneries, glassy skyscrapers, bustling streets, delicious food and an inclusive local culture.
"And this is a city that has a lot of famous parts about it, not just Chaotianmen or Jiefangbei, also the [outskirt] districts like Dazu, or there's Wuxi County, or there's Wulong. One of the largest monorail lines in the world go through here," said Reporterfy.
Now apart from vlogging, Reporterfy has worked with his local friends in Chongqing to make a film "China's Cyberpunk Futuristic MegaCity 2024."
Featuring ultra-high-definition drone footage, the video takes viewers on a journey through towering skyscrapers, busy commercial centers, neon-lit alleyways and high-tech hubs that define Chongqing's unique character, highlighting a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, ancient culture and futuristic technology.
Stressing that the video is made up of real drone footage instead of AI-generated pictures, Reporterfy said he and his team captured what they feel the Western countries will see when they come to the city and welcome people from across the world to experience this fantastic place in person.
Canadian vlogger aims to present beautiful, vibrant Chongqing to world
