The 22nd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) closed in Nanning on September 21 with a record tally of over 700 outcomes, including more than 500 economic and trade agreements. The five-day gathering, held in China’s Guangxi region, drew 3,260 enterprises from 60 countries and regions, making it one of the largest platforms for cross-border business engagement in Asia this year.

According to Wei Zhaohui, Secretary-General of the CAEXPO Secretariat, 155 investment projects were signed, 74 of which centered on processing and manufacturing—representing 88% of total investment. The projects span mechanical equipment, petrochemicals, nonferrous metals, new materials, light industry, textiles, and information technology. For global investors, these sectors mirror the continued industrial transformation across ASEAN, where value chains are shifting toward higher-end manufacturing and materials innovation.

The exhibition, covering 160,000 square meters, welcomed 226,000 visitors in total. Companies from ASEAN alone accounted for 627 exhibitors, signaling strong bilateral interest despite global economic headwinds.

This year's expo distinguished itself with a dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) pavilion, the largest single-theme hall in CAEXPO's history, spanning 10,000 square meters. Roughly 1,200 AI products were on display—including 20 large language models and 60 humanoid and industrial robots.

The AI pavilion generated transactions exceeding RMB 1.4 billion (USD 193 million). Exhibits ranged from smart medical platforms and AI-driven logistics to real-time translation glasses and large payload drones. Professor Su Hong of Nanning Vocational and Technical College noted that Guangxi is positioning itself as a hub for AI integration, offering applied solutions for ASEAN markets that require tailored, vertical large models.

One notable debut came from Singapore's CuberAI, which presented an AI-powered maritime logistics system designed to simplify cross-border shipping, covering monitoring, port clearance, and warehousing. Zhang Huimin, the company's deputy sales director, highlighted ASEAN-China connectivity as a catalyst for such solutions: “AI allows cross-border logistics to function as seamlessly as domestic transport.”

In total, 44 “AI+ industry” projects were signed at the expo, with applications spanning manufacturing, services, and agriculture. As Li Rongrong of the ASEAN Secretariat observed, “Economic exchanges between ASEAN and China are no longer confined to traditional trade and investment. Emerging technologies, particularly AI, are now shaping the next chapter of cooperation.”

The event also highlighted how regional agreements are reshaping supply chains. With the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) now in force and negotiations for the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) 3.0 concluded, companies are seeing tangible benefits.

Vietnamese coffee brand Trung Nguyen has attended CAEXPO for 22 consecutive years, leveraging RCEP provisions such as paperless customs clearance and tariff reductions to expand its sales in China. Another Vietnamese coffee company, Cong Nai, announced plans to enter the Chinese market within two months, citing the same incentives.

Similarly, Malaysian durian brand “Liu Youyou” has built a processing base in Guangxi to serve China's rising demand for Musang King durian. RCEP has streamlined import procedures and reduced costs, making cross-border agribusiness increasingly viable.

On the infrastructure side, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), CAEXPO's strategic partner, reported over USD 69 billion in contracts signed across ASEAN in the past five years. Projects such as Cambodia's Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway and Malaysia's East Coast Rail Link were cited by local officials as examples of how regional infrastructure collaboration can raise competitiveness while opening new markets.

Beyond trade, cultural and youth exchange events featured prominently, from Southeast Asian fashion showcases to the China-ASEAN Youth Leaders Dialogue, which released a report on industrial collaboration and youth-led innovation. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn emphasized that the new FTA 3.0 framework would “elevate ASEAN-China economic cooperation to a new level and provide a solid foundation for regional integration.”

The Philippines will serve as the Country of Honor for the 23rd CAEXPO, scheduled for September 17–21, 2026.

For international businesses, the message is clear: ASEAN's economic engagement with China is increasingly shaped by both high-tech innovation and evolving trade rules. From AI-powered logistics to tariff-free agribusiness, CAEXPO demonstrates how regional integration is moving beyond policy dialogue into sector-specific applications with direct commercial value.