The upcoming eighth China-South Asia Expo is poised to enhance trade cooperation and strengthen people-to-people exchanges between China and countries in South and Southeast Asia, organizers announced on Tuesday.
Commencing on July 23 in Kunming City, the provincial capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, the week-long expo is one of the region’s key economic and trade exchange events. Pakistan will serve as the event’s country of honor, highlighting the deepening ties between the two nations.
"Over 2,000 enterprises have registered for the event, including representatives from all South Asian and Southeast Asian countries," said Yang Mu, head of Yunnan’s Department of Commerce. "We anticipate this expo will open new avenues for regional cooperation and development."
The expo will feature 15 pavilions, including two dedicated to South Asian countries with approximately 800 booths. Other pavilions will showcase advancements in architectural technology, green energy, culture and tourism, modern agriculture, and more.
In a first for the expo, a special pavilion will be dedicated to coffee products. Yunnan Province, renowned for its high-quality Arabica coffee—producing 95 percent of China’s coffee—will host coffee companies from China and around the world. Participants are expected to display their products and engage in discussions on coffee cultivation, processing, and roasting.
Trade Volume Nears $200 Billion
China and South Asian countries maintain close trade relationships. According to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, trade volume between China and South Asia approached $200 billion in 2023, doubling the figure from 2013.
China’s role as the largest trading partner for countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh has been continuously solidified. A variety of products—including rice from Pakistan, red tea from Sri Lanka, seafood from the Maldives, and pine nuts from Afghanistan—are increasingly entering the Chinese market.
Yunnan Province, often called China’s gateway to South and Southeast Asia, aims to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the expo. Liu Yong, vice governor of Yunnan, emphasized the province’s commitment to fostering regional cooperation.
"Leveraging the platform provided by the expo, we will continue to align the Belt and Road Initiative with the development strategies of South Asian countries," Liu said. "We will further expand exchanges and cooperation in modern industries, the digital economy, green energy, culture, education, tourism, and agriculture."
On July 22, a supporting event will bring together officials, heads of business associations, scholars, and business executives from South Asian countries. They will engage in in-depth discussions on topics such as investment and trade cooperation, technological innovation, digital economy, energy development and utilization, and infrastructure construction.
