More Scientific and Technological Elements Seen in the 18th CAEXPO

Written by The Editorial Departmnt / Translated by Chen Zhiying and Zhong Fangjie

VR headsets present us a different world, transparent screens generate gorgeous images, drones that can sow and fertilize the farmland... More scientific and technological devices have been displayed in the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) in recent years.

“We need to enhance innovation in science and technology and to deepen cooperation on the digital economic... build a digital Silk Road.” The important remark delivered by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony of the 17th CAEXPO gives a clear direction for the CAEXPO, which is building itself into a window to promote China-ASEAN cooperation in innovative science and technology.

Innovative science and technology provide a feast for the eyes

How magical is artificial intelligence? Walking into the exhibition area of Guihuichina Technology Group (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., visitors can see guiding robots displayed. These robots not only have humanoid actions and expressions but also characteristics like emotional expression, speech and the ability to hold smooth conversations in all languages, becoming an excellent choice for VIP reception.

This scene was in the 17th CAEXPO. “There are too many novel exhibits in the advanced technology exhibition area of the CAEXPO. Everything is so impressive!” said Kodi Sittsong, a Thai businessman. From his words, we can see that integrating the element of innovative science and technology into the CAEXPO makes it more attractive.

The upcoming 18th CAEXPO is utilizing the scientific and technological innovation to display achievements made in the deepening China-ASEAN digital economic cooperation and the Digital Silk Road.

Exchanges in science, technology and digital economy became more and more. During the 18th CAEXPO, the China-ASEAN Technology Transfer and Innovation Cooperation Conference and the Advanced Technology Exhibition will be held. The China-ASEAN Digital Silk Road Summit and China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Summit will also be held to promote the construction of China-ASEAN Information Harbour.

Technology became more “hardcore”, with new vitality added into innovation. The 18th CAEXPO will continue having the Hong Kong Pavilion. The scientific and technological forces from the Greater Bay Area are becoming an important part of the Domestic and International Dual Circulation The pavilion will provide visitors with an immersive experience through interactive games and physical display, so as to find out the charm of Hong Kong.

“Made in China” makes presence on the CAEXPO, communication in trade is becoming smoother. The 18th CAEXPO will continue having a special exhibition area for machinery and transport vehicles under the theme of commodity trade. The machinery and transport vehicles made in China will become the hot hits of ASEAN purchasers.

Scientific and technological innovation is promoting the vigorous development of China-ASEAN two-way investment cooperation. Ren Hongbin, China's Assistant Minister of Commerce, said that by the end of June this year, China and ASEAN countries have invested more than US$ 310 billion in each other. Emerging fields such as high-tech, digital economy and green economy are becoming new growth points of bilateral cooperation.

Digital economy boasts prosperous future

Now, the world is going through a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial reform. The digital economy is developing rapidly. However, global economic situation is tense and complex. Trade protectionism is on the rise.

How do we build a stronger China-ASEAN community with a shared future and to make closer ties of exchanges and cooperation between the two sides? From the past experience, digital economy is the key. Therefore, the CAEXPO has to undergo a digital transformation.

In the video speech at the opening ceremony of the 17th CAEXPO last year, Lin Yuhui, ASEAN Secretary-General said that China and ASEAN countries are highly complementary and have great potential for cooperation in digital economy. He believes that support from China will inject new vitality into ASEAN’s digital transformation.

At the 17th CAEXPO, 86 international and domestic investment cooperation projects were signed, along with many major projects in the digital economy, such as the construction project of the Dianke Cloud (Guilin) Big Data Centre. Information Service Platform of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and other projects are ready to kickstart.

With the new “currency” of the digital economy, the China-ASEAN “Digital Silk Road” is now in the ascendant. In the 18th CAEXPO from September 10 to 13 this year, the digital economy will set up a broader trade “space” in the limited exhibition area and build the intelligent “bridges” to benefit all countries.

5G, Artificial Intelligence, Smart City, E-commerce, Big Data... The 18th CAEXPO will upgrade the former electronics and electrical appliances exhibition area to the IT exhibition area, and add the exhibition of digital economy with innovative application. During the CAEXPO, 140 trade fairs will be held online and offline, focusing on the digital economy and other industries. The expo will strive to facilitate a batch of typical projects of building chains, reinforcing chains, and extending chains to comprehensively improve the quality of signed projects.

“Today, Information and Communication Technology is playing an increasingly important role in the world, and we have witnessed digital economic cooperation became a new engine for regional economic growth,” said Mr. Virasac Somphong, Consul General of Lao PDR in Nanning.

The digital economy has stimulated the economic recovery of ASEAN countries, said ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi, ASEAN hopes to further strengthen cooperation with China in areas such as innovation, technology, digital economy, connectivity, smart city, and new energy. China’s support for the ASEAN Smart City Network and the ASEAN sustainable urbanization strategy will help ASEAN recover quickly from COVID-19 and strengthen the resilience of the ASEAN community.

A “communicative” Online CAEXPO

Building a year-round Online CAEXPO, providing functions such as 3D exhibition hall, Data Tracing, online international conference, and business negotiation, it’s such a refreshing “One-stop” service platform for cooperation and exchange in the 17th CAEXPO.

As time went by, the presentation of the CAEXPO also upgraded. The 18th CAEXPO will adopt the model of “Exhibition offline + Online CAEXPO”, to guide more enterprises to participate in online negotiation and matchmaking. Economic and trade activities will be held both online and offline. The Online CAEXPO will be all-year-round, in order to provide normal economic and trade promotion services for enterprises.

From promoting online exhibitions and economic activities of the themed country Laos and other countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam, to improving functions such as “Cloud Exhibition”, “Cloud Conference” and “Cloud Negotiation”; from holding live promotion conferences, supply and demand product launches, “One-to-one” video matching activities, to providing year-round online display and trade promotion services and realizing year-round regular operation, the 18th CAEXPO will be even more “Communicative” and arouse new vitality for the China-ASEAN cooperation. 

According to Wang Lei, Secretary-General of the CAEXPO Secretariat, building “Online CAEXPO” is a creative solution to promote China-ASEAN digital economic cooperation under the COVID-19.

With the platform of the CAEXPO, the China-ASEAN Economic and Trade Center was set up in Nanning with the aim of building a “One-stop” service platform for China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation through the model of “Physical Platform + Internationalization + Market-orientation”, building a never-ending CAEXPO and tapping the potential of China-ASEAN trade.

Recently, on the press conference held in the State Council Information Office, Liu Hongwu, vice president of Guangxi Autonomous Region, said that during the 14th Five-Year Plan, the CAEXPO will continue building an upgraded version, expanding from providing services for 10+1 to RCEP and the Belt and Road, deepening cross-border financial innovation, speeding up the establishment of an ASEAN-oriented financial gateway for opening-up, accelerating the construction of China-ASEAN Information Harbor, building the Digital Silk Road, and developing a major platform for open cooperation.