The China-ASEAN Expo

Proposed by H.E. Wen Jiabao, Premier of China at the 7th China-ASEAN (10+1) Leaders’ Summit held in Pali Island, Indonesia on October 8, 2003, the China-ASEAN Expo is an annual event convened in Nanning, Guangxi, China since the year 2004. As a pragmatic endeavor to promote the construction of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA), this propose was well received by heads of state/government of the 10 ASEAN countries and was written into the Chairman’s Statement released afterwards.

The 1st CAEXPO was held on November 3 – 6, 2004, setting up total 2,506 booths for 1,505 exhibiting enterprises, attracting 18,000 exhibitors and trade visitors, among whom, 4,000 purchasers came from outbound China. 210 categories of exhibits were showcased, covering 11 sectors, including machinery & equipment, household appliances, ICT products, automobile & parts, hardware & mineral products, building materials, agro-based products, medical & healthcare products, chemical raw materials, light industrial products and arts & crafts, garment & textiles, etc. 757 booths were used by enterprises from the 10 ASEAN countries and other countries/regions outside China, taking up 42.9% of the total. A trading volume of USD1.084 billion was concluded, among which, USD875 million was the export volume, USD110 million, the import volume, and the rest USD99 million, the Chinese domestic trading volume. During the CAEXPO, 26 promotion conferences on investment projects were held, where 129 international investment cooperation projects were contracted, worth USD4.968 billion, and 102 Chinese domestic cooperation projects, amounting to RMB48.54 billion. Distinguished guests who showed presence at this event included H.E. Madam Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the State Council of China, H.E. Samdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, H.E. Boungnang Vorachith, Vice Premier of Laos, H.E. Lt-Gen Soe Win, the late Prime Minister of Myanmar, H.E. Phinij Jarusombat, Vice Prime Minister of Thailand, H.E. Pham Gia Khiem, Vice Prime Minister of Viet Nam, ministers of commerce/trade of China and the 10 ASEAN countries, and Secretary General of the ASEAN, etc.

The 2nd CAEXPO was held on October 19 –21, 2005, setting up total 3,300 booths for 2,000 exhibiting enterprises, drawing 25,000 exhibitors and trade visitors, among whom, 6,000 purchasers came from outbound China. 170 varieties of products were exhibited, covering 5 categories, i.e. machinery & equipment, electrical appliances & electronics, light industrial products and arts & crafts, hardware & building materials, agro-based products and foodstuffs. 782 booths were used by enterprises from the 10 ASEAN countries and other countries/regions outside China, taking up 27.4% of the total. A trading volume of USD1.15 billion was concluded, up 6% over the previous year. Among it, USD820 million was the export volume, USD170 million, the import volume, and the USD160 million, the Chinese domestic trading volume. During the CAEXPO, 28 investment promotion events and 2 contract signing ceremonies were arranged, where 126 international investment cooperation projects were contracted, worth USD5.29 billion, up 5.9%, and 263 Chinese domestic cooperation projects valued at RMB50.18 billion, increasing by 5.5% over last year. Distinguished guests who showed presence at this event included H.E. Zeng Qinghong, Standing Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Vice President of China, H.E. Samdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, H.E. Lt-Gen Soe Win, the late Prime Minister of Myanmar, H.E. Choummaly Saygnasone, the then Vice President of Laos, H.E. Somkid Jatusripitak, the First Prime Minister of Thailand, H.E. Nguyen Tan Dung, the then Standing Vice Prime Minister of Viet Nam, and ministers of commerce/trade of China and the 10 ASEAN countries, etc.