China-South Asia Expo opens to boost trade ties attracting participants from across 73 countries.
The 9th China-South Asia Expo officially began on Thursday in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province in southwest China, attracting participation from 73 countries, regions, and international organizations, along with over 2,500 companies.
Spanning six days, the expo has united all South and Southeast Asian countries, showcasing 16 themed exhibition halls, nearly 70 percent of which highlight specialized industries including manufacturing, green energy, coffee production, and traditional Chinese medicine.
Among the highlights are two South Asia-themed pavilions with nearly 800 booths, where both India and Pakistan have set up 140 booths each to promote their products and businesses.
Around 40 events focused on trade and economic cooperation will take place during the expo, including forums and matchmaking sessions to facilitate procurement and strengthen regional collaboration.
Launched in 2013, the same year as the Belt and Road Initiative, the expo has since generated over 110 billion USD in foreign trade and supported over 20,000 companies.
Co-hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce and the Yunnan provincial government, the expo plays a vital role in boosting trade and economic ties between China and South Asian nations.
In 2024, trade volume between China and South Asian countries approached 200 billion USD, having doubled in the past ten years with an average annual growth of 6.3 percent, according to official data from the Ministry of Commerce.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Minister of Commerce Yan Dong emphasized China’s continued commitment to opening up its economy and promoting high-quality development through modernization, offering broader opportunities for global cooperation.
Yan further noted that China is keen to expand trade and investment relations with South Asian countries and collaborate in emerging fields such as the digital economy, low-carbon technologies, AI, and biomedicine to build a more open global economy.
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