FROM bustling ports brimming with goods to digital arenas buzzing with new opportunities, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are increasingly coming together in a partnership that promises common prosperity and a shared future filled with boundless potential. Since establishing a dialogue relationship more than three decades ago, China and ASEAN have stood together and supported each other through thick and thin, developing a model featuring the most dynamic and fruitful cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and the world. As the world’s second and fifth-largest economies, respectively, China and ASEAN represent a quarter of the global population, and their commitment to win-win cooperation could offer stability and growth for a world overshadowed by rising economic uncertainty and fragmentation. Malaysian fresh durians can reach Chinese consumers in just 24 hours, thanks to a fast logistics network and quick inspection processes. This fruit, known as the “king of fruits,” has seen a huge increase in demand in China, with imports reaching 1.56 million tonnes in 2024. The strong trade relationship be tween China and ASEAN has flourished, with bilateral trade growing from under $8 billion in 1991 to nearly $1 trillion in 2024. The China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) has been crucial in enhancing trade and investment, and negotiations for an upgraded version are nearly complete. In Thailand, the Thai-Chinese Ray ong industrial zone has attracted over $5.2 billion in investment and created more than 60,000 jobs. Cooperation in infrastructure, like the China-Laos Railway, has improved connectivity and reduced logistics costs. Emerging fields such as digital economy and clean energy are also fostering collaboration, with projects like electric vehicles and agricultural drones benefiting both regions. — Xinhua
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