CAEXPO Wrap: China Pitches an Operating System for ASEAN Trade

China uses CAEXPO to pitch an “operating system” for ASEAN, aimed at standardizing goods, data, and talent flows under ACFTA 3.0.
High Resolution AI Satellite at China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

China wrapped CAEXPO in Nanning with a pitch that goes beyond product sales. The expo presented AI-ready factory “cells,” a low-speed autonomous shuttle, and a Beibu Gulf satellite. It also showcases vocational pipelines and an ACFTA 3.0 upgrade.

The offer resembles a bundled “operating system” for ASEAN, combining hardware, software, cloud services, standardized data rules, and joint training.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Edwin Shri Bimo

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
3 From J-10C to Kaan? Indonesia’s Fighter Jet Deal With Turkey Shocks Chinese Military Fans
4
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
5
Chinese Cargo Planes Secretly Ferrying Supplies to Iran, Claim Online Sleuths
6
BYD Tops Southeast Asia EV Sales, Tesla Drops in Hong Kong

You Might Like

China and ASEAN will sign FTA 3.0 in October, putting digital trade, e-commerce, data, and payments, at the center of free trade upgrade

China–ASEAN FTA 3.0 Set for October: All On Digital Trade Rules

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN will sign an upgrade to their free-trade agreement at the ASEAN–China summit in Kuala Lumpur in October. The deal sets digital ...
China and ASEAN trade could hit $1.05 trillion in 2025, with China running a $278 billion, customs data show.

China–ASEAN Trade Nears $1,05 Trillion as Surplus Hits $278 Billion

China and ASEAN are set to pass the trade threshold in 2025, with nearly $1.05 trillion in goods. That would leave China with a surplus that swells past $278 billion, a big ...

Graph of the Day: China’s Durian Boom Gives a Whiff of Its Economic Clout in Southeast Asia

This week’s ASEAN Foreign Minister meetings will be shaped by the bloc’s complicated political relationship with China. However, that is only half the story. To fully appreciate the stakes of having to manage ...
China’s insatiable appetite for durian is fueling a high-stakes competition among Southeast Asian suppliers, with Indonesia now pushing to enter the lucrative market.

Vietnam Challenges Thailand as Durian Export Leader Amid China’s Booming Demand

Vietnam’s durian industry is booming, fueled by China’s increasing love for the “King of Fruits.” In 2024, Vietnam’s durian exports hit an impressive $3.3 billion, a staggering almost 8-fold increase from ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP