Marking a successful example in regional economic integration, China-ASEAN cooperation has delivered substantial results in bilateral trade and commerce. At the China-ASEAN Business Leaders Forum, held on September 17th in Nanning, government and business representatives from China and ASEAN nations convened to tackle key issues. The forum, a hallmark event of the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, centered on the theme "Joining Forces for Digital and Intelligent Development, Jointly Writing a New Chapter of Free Trade Cooperation," allowing for deep exchanges and consensus-building on topics like regional supply and production chain integration under the new 3.0 free trade area rules, as well as on artificial intelligence cooperation. This dialogue is set to inject significant momentum into the economic and trade partnership between China and ASEAN.

China has been ASEAN's top trading partner for 17 consecutive years, while ASEAN has held the same position for China for the past six years, underscoring their solid and expansive economic foundation. The formal signing of the protocol upgrading the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area to version 3.0 has now steered this economic relationship into a new phase. According to Lin Honghong, Vice President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, "The deepening of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 provides favorable conditions for all parties to expand cooperation in areas like the digital economy, green and low-carbon development, and supply chain connectivity." She highlighted that the business community is both a beneficiary of these free trade rules and a contributor to institutional innovation and the integration process, with her organization ready to work alongside ASEAN's commercial bodies to boost policy promotion and clarify regulations, guiding companies to leverage preferential terms and turn policy advantages into tangible collaborative outcomes.

With AI rapidly weaving itself into industrial growth and green transformation reshaping global industrial and supply chains, digital-intelligence and green development are becoming key drivers for expanding corporate collaboration. During the forum, the "Smart Chaining Land and Sea: China-ASEAN AI International Cooperation Case Collection (2026)" was released, showcasing the results of AI partnerships between the two sides. The collection highlights 31 practical AI cooperation projects between China and ASEAN, spanning all 11 ASEAN countries. It focuses on real-world, replicable AI scenarios across areas such as new infrastructure, intelligent manufacturing, and smart logistics, vividly illustrating the tangible impact of Chinese AI technology in ASEAN markets.

Myanmar's Vice President, Nyo Saw, noted that centering on digital and intelligent collaboration highlights the free trade area's importance in cooperation between ASEAN member states and China, while also aligning with current global trends and regional economic conditions. He expressed Myanmar's desire to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN members and China, aiming for expanded trade and investment in promising sectors. Meanwhile, Lin Daoqin, head of the Artificial Intelligence Unit at the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia, remarked that the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area is moving beyond just lowering trade costs, transitioning from "trade in goods" to "digital economy, industry chain, and innovation collaboration." He pointed out that current rule convergence is creating institutional pathways for cross-border digital services, and the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation is expected to open up new cooperative spaces.

As the canals connect the rivers to the sea, sails are rising at the right moment. Zhang Lizhong, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre, stated that the joint progress and win-win cooperation between the business communities of China and ASEAN have brought real benefits to regional economic growth, positioning the area as a vital engine for global development. He called on both sides to unite, tap into the dividends of institutional openness, explore diverse new fields of cooperation, and bolster the resilience and security of regional supply and production chains, thereby injecting fresh vitality into regional coordinated growth.