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NANNING: China: For the first time, Artificial Intelligence will be prominently featured at the 22nd China – Asean Expo (CAEXPO) which will be held at Nanning, the capital city of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from Sept 17 to 21, 2025.

According to the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) Secretariat, many Chinese AI companies particularly from Hangzhou will be participating in this year’s event.

Malaysia is the Asean chair for 2025. Asean countries’ Ministers in charge of AI will also hold a meeting at the event. It has emerged as a vital platform for China – Asean cooperation.

AI is not only a central theme of CAEXPO 2025 but also its biggest highlight. Asean countries are currently at a critical stage of digital transformation and are eager to match China’s AI development. CAEXPO 2025 highlights AI application scenarios most relevant to Asean – particularly those that empower people’s livelihoods and drive industrial upgrading.

Having been held successfully for 21 consecutive sessions, CAEXPO is an international economic and trade event jointly organized by China’s Ministry of Commerce, the Asean Secretariat, with Guangxi serving as the host. It has become a business platform for China – Asean cooperation.

CAEXPO has become a highly valued regional public good as it has welcomed 201 foreign leaders, along with over 4,100 ministerial dignitaries and heads of international organizations. Through keynote speeches, leadership meetings, and ministerial consultations, it has forged consensus on regional integration, enhanced strategic trust, and catalyzed the China – Asean community with a shared future.

Accelerating the China – Asean Free Trade Area (CAFTA) development, the past 21 CAEXPO sessions attracted approximately 1.5 million participants, including exhibitors and trade visitors. The event has facilitated the implementation of numerous cooperation projects.

This included the China – Malaysia “Two Countries, Twin (industrial) Parks” initiative, while driving CAFTA’s progressive upgrades from Version 1.0 to 2.0 and now towards Version 3.0. It has created the “10 + 1” cooperation mechanism across more than 40 fields.

By establishing a special partner mechanism and hosting Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) - themed events and exhibition zones, it has attracted participation from enterprises in over 40 countries and regions worldwide. Its scope has expanded from serving the China – Asean “10 + 1” framework to encompassing RCEP and BRI cooperation.

Asean has remained Guangxi’s largest trading partner for the past 25 consecutive years. Six Asean member countries have established consulates in Nanning, including Malaysia, which is situated at International Chamber of Commerce Tower, 45th Floor, No. 59 Jinhu Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

CAEXPO has become a signature event of Guangxi and has accelerated the advancement of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. Journalists from Asean countries visited the CAEXPO permanent gallery as part of the Guangxi in the Eyes of International Media 2025 themed “Sharing New Opportunities, Advancing into the Future” to promote this southern province of China situated next to Vietnam.

The visit was organised by the China News Service, Guangxi Branch.