The upcoming eighth China-South Asia Expo is poised to further enhance trade cooperation and foster people-to-people exchanges between China and South Asian and Southeast Asian countries, organizers announced on Tuesday.
As a significant platform for economic and trade exchange in the region, the expo will commence on July 23 and run for a week in Kunming, the capital city of southwest China’s Yunnan Province.
Pakistan will be 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, according to Yang Mu, head of Yunnan’s department of commerce.
The expo will feature 15 pavilions, including two dedicated to South Asian countries with approximately 800 booths. Exhibits will cover a wide range of sectors, showcasing advancements in architectural technology, green energy, culture and tourism, modern agriculture, and more.
For the first time, a special pavilion will be dedicated to coffee products. Yunnan, renowned for its high-quality Arabica coffee, produces 95 percent of China’s coffee. During the event, coffee companies from China and around the world 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 Asian countries approached $200 billion in 2023, doubling the figure from 2013.
China’s position as the largest trading partner for countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh continues to strengthen. Products like 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 Asian and Southeast Asian countries, is set to leverage the opportunities presented by the expo. Liu Yong, the vice governor of Yunnan, emphasized the province’s strategic role.
“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, further expanding exchanges and cooperation in modern industries, the digital economy, green energy, culture, education, tourism, and agriculture,” Liu said.
On July 22, a supporting event will bring together officials, business association leaders, scholars, and business executives from South Asian countries to engage in in-depth discussions on topics such as investment and trade cooperation, technological innovation, the digital economy, energy development and utilization, and infrastructure construction.
Reference(s):
8th China-South Asia Expo expected to promote regional trade
cgtn.com
