After a Hardworking Spring and Summer, CAEXPO Preparation Achieving Fruitful Results

Written by Zhang Shirui / Translated by Tang Yi 

The 100-day countdown to the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS), as well as the presentation of their 20th-anniversary were held in the afternoon of June 8. 

This logo is a combination of the Arabic numeral "20" and the overhead view of the hibiscus flower-like exhibition hall, the symbol of the Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center which is the permanent venue of the CAEXPO. It is shaped like a diamond-encrusted crown, implying that China and ASEAN will usher in a new future with a diamond-encrusted crown. 

Joint efforts for a future with a diamond-encrusted crown 

With the unveiling of the 100-day countdown timer for the CAEXPO and the Summit, the preparation for the CAEXPO has entered the final stretch. Before our triumphant harvest season, the gathering signal for the CAEXPO has been given and impressive results have been achieved in stages. 

On May 6, Sui Guohua, vice governor of the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, chaired the first working conference of the command center of the CABIS and the 20th CAEXPO so as to accelerate the preparation and ensure this CAEXPO will be held with higher distinctiveness, quality, and effectiveness. 

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership and the 10th anniversary of the proposal of building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future and joint contributions to the Belt and Road Initiative, so it is a special and significant milestone. Under the in-depth implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the construction of version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, the 20th CAEXPO offers new opportunities. 

It is reported that the 20th CAEXPO will create more business opportunities through "four comprehensive upgrades," namely a comprehensive upgrade of the high-level dialogue mechanism, a comprehensive upgrade of the economic and trade effectiveness, a comprehensive upgrade of the "Nanning Channel," and a comprehensive upgrade of the permanent cooperation platform. 

It is worth noting that CAEXPO as a permanent cooperation platform makes more and more concrete contributions and its continuous improvement will inject fresh and stable impetus into China-ASEAN practical cooperation. Online CAEXPO is accelerated to develop its second and third phase const ruct ion, serving the onl ine exhibition series of CAEXPO and creating an online platform for countries to export their commodities to China; thanks to CAEXPO, the normalized China-ASEAN economic and trade exchange and cooperation platform and commodity display platform, namely, China-ASEAN Economic and Trade Center and China-ASEAN Mercantile Exchange, can be operated by a higher standard. They can not only help the ASEAN exhibits after CAEXPO to be converted into bonded goods and then show and sell those bonded goods but also make it more convenient for enterprises of ASEAN countries to carry out daily economic and trade cooperation with Chinese enterprises. 

In addition to the preparation of the domestic conference, major progress has also been made in consolidating the co-hosting mechanism and reaching a cooperation consensus with ASEAN countries. 

On May 9, the Senior Officials' Meeting for the 20th CAEXPO was successfully held in Nanning. Economic and trade authorities and investment promotion departments of China and ASEAN countries, senior officials of the ASEAN Secretariat, representatives of ASEAN embassies and consulates in China, the CAEXPO secretariat, and heads of relevant departments in Guangxi attended the meeting. All shareholders gathered for the preparation of the 20th CAEXPO. 

From "stimulating" the domestic market to "promoting" the overseas market, we now face a new future with a "diamond-encrusted crown." After a hardworking spr ing and summer, CAEXPO is about to welcome a fruitful autumn in September. 

CAEXPO's "Circle of Friends" continues to grow 

In order to build this CAEXPO with higher distinctiveness, quality, and effectiveness, the CAEXPO secretariat has been "running around" to actively carry out promotion and negotiation works of CAEXPO, aiming to share opportunities with both new and old friends. 

From May 10 to 11, the CAEXPO secretariat working group went to Beijing to visit foreign and international organizations and enterprises in China and relevant domest ic indust r ial associations, including ambassador Siddharth Chatterjee, UN coordinator in China, ambassador Santos Abrao dos Santos of Timor-Leste in China, Amna Alhammadi, deputy head of the UAE Embassy in China, and Sun Yuanjiang, director of Partnerships and Regional Cooperation at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and others. During the period, the working group conducted fruitful exchanges with all parties on the preparation such as participation in the 20th CAEXPO and event planning.

On May 17, Wei Zhaohui, Secretary General of the CAEXPO Secretariat, met with Sardar Muhammad, Acting Consul General of Pakistan in Guangzhou. The two sides fully exchanged and reached a consensus on Pakistan's participation in the 20th CAEXPO and the construction of the Pakistan pavilion at the China-ASEAN Mercantile Exchange. Since 2016, Pakistan has actively participated in CAEXPO, thereby manifesting its role as a devoted partner in the event.

Moreover, Guangxi also sincerely welcomes guests from ASEAN countries to participate in CAEXPO and jointly build a closer community with a shared future.

On May 24, Liu Ning, Party Secretary of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, met with Luhut, the leader of Indonesia's cooperation with China and the minister of the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment Affairs, and his delegation in Liuzhou, Guangxi. On May 29, Sui Guohua met with Lee Chin Chen in Nanning, who is a Pahang State Assembly deputy speaker and a Bilut assemblyman. On June 18, Liu Ning and Lan Tianli, the governor of the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, met with Thongloun, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and the chairman of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, with Lao delegation in Nanning. Both sides have discussed how to strengthen cooperation and jointly promote regional development and prosperity by relying on CAEXPO.

It follows then that the expanding "circle of friends" with a closer relationship will be one of the light spots of the 20th CAEXPO.

An increasingly hot "Circle of Friends"

While CAEXPO is "going out" and "welcoming new friends," its warm invitation has also been positively "echoed."

In China, as Chinese enterprises actively participated in CAEXPO, confirmed exhibitors have reached 65% of booths up to June 9. Chongqing has supported and participated in CAEXPO for 19 consecutive years, promoting Chongqing enterprises to open the ASEAN market and developing deeper cooperation between Guangxi and Chongqing. The representatives of the Chongqing Commerce Commission said that CAEXPO is a good platform for China-ASEAN cooperation. They will continue to organize enterprises to participate in the exhibition this year and explore new business opportunities in ASEAN countries in order to comprehensively demonstrate Chongqing's contribution to the New Land-Sea Corridor in West China.

Furthermore, Xinjiang, located along the New Land-Sea Corridor in West China, has also achieved fruitful results in its participation in previous CAEXPO. The 11th Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps said that this year coincides with the 20th anniversary of CAEXPO, and it will further organize more enterprises of the Corps to participate in the exhibition and show more products that are of Xinjiang's characteristics to ASEAN countries.

For overseas situations, representatives of ASEAN countries speak highly of the importance of CAEXPO and think we play a major role in hosting CAEXPO.

Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam will book a whole pavilion or half pavilion again. Singapore and Thailand have basically confirmed their exhibition scale. Brunei, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam have selected their "Cities of Charm" or their plan for showing the "Cities of Charm".

Vietnam News Agency reported that Vietnam will use more than 200 booths at the 20th CAEXPO, marking the largest number of exhibitors from Vietnam so far.

According to Malaysian National News Agency, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation held a series of promotion and warm-up activities with the theme of "CAEXPO Being the Preferred Entrance into the Chinese Market." Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation aims to organize about 150 companies to participate in the 20th CAEXPO and expects to generate 500 million Malaysian ringgit (about 772 million yuan) in turnover.

For the 20th anniversary of CAEXPO, there will be related commemorative activities to increase the publicity of CAEXPO. According to the CAEXPO secretariat, a series of theme promotions have been launched, such as the "20 Years, 20 People" special report, photography, and design competition, and writing CAEXPO archives.

As of press time, the photography competition with the theme of "CAEXPO in the Lens/China-ASEAN Cooperation" and the writing competition "My Story with CAEXPO" have come to an end. Abundant contributions pour into our mailbox, as the atmosphere of the 20th CAEXPO becomes stronger. This also shows that CAEXPO with its 20-year history has become a great event for many people.

As the clarion of the 20th CAEXPO blows, old friends and new friends follow the sound and come. In September, when the earth harvests, old and new friends of CAEXPO will also sing a song of win-win cooperation.