On May 11, Wang Jicai, Secretary-General of the Secretariat of the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), led a working group to conduct an inspection and research visit to the Greater Bay Area Import and Export Business Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. He held in-depth discussions with the Chamber’s president and enterprise representatives on the preparation for the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and new opportunities for economic and trade cooperation between the Greater Bay Area and ASEAN. Relevant officials from the Exhibition Department, Reception Department and Trade Department of the CAEXPO Secretariat accompanied the visit.

Secretary-General Wang Jicai first briefed participants on the overall preparation progress of the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo, which is scheduled to be held in Nanning from September 17 to 21. He highlighted the innovative arrangements of this year’s expo: seizing the opportunity brought by the implementation of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Agreement, it will set up dedicated exhibition zones for the digital economy and green low-carbon development, and build cooperation platforms for emerging industries such as artificial intelligence and cross-border e-commerce. He pointed out that as one of China’s most open and economically dynamic regions, the Greater Bay Area serves as a vital hub connecting the Chinese mainland and the ASEAN market. CAEXPO is willing to join hands with the Greater Bay Area Import and Export Business Chamber of Commerce to establish a trilateral linkage cooperation mechanism featuring the Greater Bay Area + Guangxi + ASEAN.

Tan Yaozong, Honorary Consultant of the Chamber of Commerce, elaborated on the layout of Greater Bay Area enterprises in the ASEAN market, especially their cooperation achievements in cross-border e-commerce, intelligent manufacturing, green energy and other fields. Lin Long’an, President of the Chamber of Commerce, stated that the China-ASEAN Expo is a crucial platform for Greater Bay Area enterprises to connect with ASEAN partners. The Chamber will actively organize member enterprises to participate deeply in the 23rd CAEXPO, fully leverage this platform to deepen economic and trade cooperation with ASEAN countries, and contribute to forging closer economic and trade ties between the Greater Bay Area and ASEAN.

During the forum, both sides conducted in-depth exchanges on joint investment promotion, co-hosting of events, resource sharing and talent exchanges, and reached important consensus.

The discussion was also attended by Liao Bin, Executive President of the China-ASEAN Industry Promotion Association and Chairman of the Board of China-ASEAN Industry Group; Lu Jinrong, President of the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong and President of the China-ASEAN Industry Promotion Association; Zheng Zile, Member of the All-China Youth Federation, Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and Chief Investment Officer of Daze Asset Management Limited; Gu Daqiang, Vice President of the China-ASEAN Industry Cooperation and Development Promotion Association, President of the Hong Kong Eurasian General Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of Hong Kong Financial Industrial Holdings Group; as well as Kuang Manxi, Executive Secretary-General of the Greater Bay Area Import and Export Business Chamber of Commerce.