How can China ASEAN cooperation become a model for South South cooperation?

China Net commentator Huazhang

On September 24th, the 21st China ASEAN Expo (referred to as the "East Expo") opened in Nanning, Guangxi. Over 3000 enterprises gathered together to continue writing good stories of cooperation and expanding the "cake" of economic and trade investment.

Since the opening of the first East Asian Expo in 2004 with the theme of "Sharing the Water of Cooperation and Starting the Bell of the Times", the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and ASEAN has gone through nearly 20 years, witnessing the glorious process of the construction of the China ASEAN Free Trade Area. The East Expo has gone through the "Golden Decade" and "Diamond Decade", laying the foundation for the continuous improvement of bilateral trade. According to statistics, the first 20 editions of the East Asian Expo have held over 1000 economic and trade activities, attracting more than 1.3 million exhibitors and participants, promoting the upgrade of the China ASEAN Free Trade Area from version 1.0 to version 2.0, and moving towards version 3.0. According to data released by the General Administration of Customs, the bilateral trade volume between China and ASEAN countries increased from 876.38 billion yuan in 2004 to 6.41 trillion yuan in 2023, with an average annual growth rate of 11%, far exceeding the overall growth rate of China's foreign trade during the same period. The proportion of China's total foreign trade value also increased from 9.2% in 2004 to 15.4% in 2023. China has maintained its position as the largest trading partner of ASEAN for 15 consecutive years, while ASEAN has been China's largest trading partner for 4 consecutive years.

Now, the East Expo has ushered in the beginning of a new stage of "diamond studded crown". In the face of the new situation, the East Expo strives to inject new impetus into China ASEAN cooperation through innovation and transformation. This year's East Expo has achieved multiple "firsts": the first exhibition selection event was held, enhancing the brand effect of the East Expo; The first launch of the China ASEAN Youth Leaders Growth Program provides a new platform for youth exchange; For the first time, a strategic emerging theme has been established, with the addition of a digital technology exhibition area and an ASEAN high-tech product exhibition area; Inviting Gulf countries to participate in the exhibition for the first time; The United Nations Industrial Development Organization also participated in the exhibition for the first time. In addition, the East Expo also held activities such as the Guangxi Tour of Australian enterprises and the Guangxi Tour of overseas Chinese businessmen and leaders for the first time. These "firsts" not only deepen the connotation of China ASEAN cooperation, but also attract more like-minded partners to jointly draw a beautiful blueprint for mutual benefit and win-win results.

As Bambang Suryono, Chairman of the Asian Innovation Research Center, an Indonesian think tank, said, the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and ASEAN has become a model of South South cooperation. The cooperation between the two sides is steadily advancing, and achievements are constantly emerging, benefiting from many aspects:

Firstly, the complementarity between the industrial structures of both parties is strong. Currently, China's manufacturing industry is developing towards higher technological content and precision, while many ASEAN countries are in the process of rapid industrialization and have an urgent need for China's advanced technology, products, and capital, while also having comparative advantages in resources and manpower. In recent years, China has been renowned for its fast and efficient infrastructure construction projects, while ASEAN countries face significant shortcomings in this field and urgently need China's support. The new three types of exports from China, including new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products, also cater to the green transformation needs of ASEAN countries.

Secondly, both sides are supporters of economic globalization. Since the reform and opening up, China has always adhered to the direction of globalization, while ASEAN countries are also committed to strengthening economic and trade ties with countries around the world. In November 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization and initiated the process of building a free trade zone with ASEAN. In 2012, ASEAN launched the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which China actively responded to and made the world's largest free trade area, which covers the largest population and economic and trade scale, a reality eight years later. In 2013, China proposed to jointly build the "the Belt and Road" initiative, and ASEAN became one of the earliest supporters. Now, 10 ASEAN countries have signed relevant cooperation documents with China.

Finally, both sides are just forces for maintaining peace. Some countries outside the region, led by the United States, frequently stir up trouble in the South China Sea due to ideological and hegemonic thinking, even promoting so-called "arbitration" and forcibly instilling the "China threat theory". However, most ASEAN countries are not convinced by this. The recently concluded ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting reiterated the importance of resolving regional disputes based on international law such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, emphasized the necessity of fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and welcomed the progress made in the negotiations on the South China Sea Code of Conduct. Obviously, maintaining peace in the South China Sea is the common expectation of China and ASEAN countries.

These favorable factors have not only pushed China ASEAN cooperation to new heights, but also laid a solid foundation for the establishment of a long-term and stable cooperative relationship between the two sides. China Laos Railway, Ya'an Wanzhou High speed Railway, etc. have become landmark projects for the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road", promoting the deep integration of China ASEAN production and supply chains; Agricultural products such as durian and mango from ASEAN countries are increasingly favored by Chinese consumers; The scale of cooperation in wind power, hydropower, solar energy and other fields continues to expand; In cities such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, many Chinese brand electric vehicles have become a beautiful scenery.

In October 2013, President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech in the Indonesian parliament, proposing the initiative of "working together to build a closer China ASEAN community with a shared future". For over a decade, China and ASEAN countries have upheld the spirit of cooperation and win-win outcomes, keeping in mind the people's aspirations for a better life, shouldering the mission of maintaining peace and promoting development, and forging a bright path of neighborly friendship and win-win cooperation.

Looking ahead to the future, China ASEAN will take the promotion of the 3.0 version of the Free Trade Area as an opportunity to further promote pragmatic cooperation between the two sides, climb new heights, create new models for the "Global South" and regional cooperation, and build a closer community with a shared future.