Chongqing- The 18th China ASEAN Expo opened in Nanning on September 10, 2021, and is being held under the theme of sharing opportunities created by the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) and building the China-ASEAN Community with a shared future.

Chongqing Municipality has organized a delegation of over 50 people from 10 districts and counties and 11 enterprises to participate in the event and related negotiations.

The event has been successfully held on 17 previous occasions, with the effect of enriching strategic partnership between China and ASEAN, upgrading economic and trade cooperation, bringing people and cultures ever closer together, and playing an important role in serving the construction of the Belt and Road.

Chongqing Pavilion Lights Up China ASEAN Expo

The Chongqing Pavilion covers an area of 180 square meters. It focuses on the latest achievements in constructing a highway logistics base, big data intelligence, ecology, the ILSTC, and other fields under the theme of an open inland highland with beautiful mountains and rivers.

Three main sections in the Chongqing section are themed on Chongqing manufacturing, glamor, and flavors.

Chongqing Manufacturing mainly focuses on advanced technology from the intelligent enterprises of Changan Automobile, Zongshen Motorcycle, Taiji group, Zhongna Technology, and Zhongyuan Huiji Technology, while there are top products on display from the automobile, motorcycle, medicine, biomaterials, and biotechnology industries.

Chongqing Glamor displays the wealth of intangible cultural heritage and innovative products, including ramie cloth, folding fans, ceramics, lacquerware, and bamboo curtains.

Chongqing Flavors is centered around time-honored representative brands and famous specialty products such as Zhou Junji hot-pot seasoning, Han Family earthen jar soy sauce, and Lotus rice candy.

ILSTC is a medium for strengthened trade cooperation

According to the Municipal Commission of Commerce, the China ASEAN Expo is an international economic and trade event that Chongqing has participated in for 18 consecutive years.

Deepened cooperation means that ASEAN has been the largest trading partner of Chongqing for two consecutive years in 2019 and 2020.

Imports and exports between Chongqing and ASEAN reached 62.995 billion yuan during January-July 2021, representing an increase of 24.5% on the previous year and accounting for 16.2% of the total for Chongqing Municipality.

The Chongqing Action Plan for Deepening Economic and Trade Cooperation with ASEAN 2021-2025, issued this year, has outlined new development opportunities with ASEAN under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Chongqing and Guangxi are both advocates and promoters of the ILSTC and respectively provide the land connections and maritime hub for the corridor.

Under China's new dual circulation development pattern, Southeast Asia will become the most important region for international cooperation, especially for Chongqing located in the western region.

A representative of the Municipal Commission of Commerce has stated that Chongqing hopes the ILSTC will serve as the medium for active exchange and cooperation between cities along the corridor and ASEAN, as Chongqing and Guangxi join hands through the expo.

Delegation Holds Far-Reaching Exchange

The Chongqing delegation will hold in-depth project coordination and negotiations during the China ASEAN Expo, which will expand mutual economic and trade cooperation on multiple levels.

The Municipal Commission of Commerce, the districts of Banan and Fuling District, as well as related enterprises, will coordinate deeply with the Nanning Comprehensive Free Trade Zone, Nanning Cross-Border E-Commerce Comprehensive Experimental Zone, and the Guangxi Highway Logistics Base.

Key enterprises in logistics, medicine, and e-commerce from Chongqing and Guangxi are to hold business negotiations and participate in special forums on free trade zone construction, e-commerce, and symposium on the high-quality implementation of RCEP.

The Municipal Port Logistics Office will participate in the joint 2021 Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port Cooperation Summit and China ASEAN Port City Cooperation Network Forum, where they will connect with logistics parks and enterprises from across the region.