Make an appointment with CSAE —Sidelights on the 9th China-South Asia Exposition

From June 19 to 24, the 9th China-South Asia Exposition and the 29th China Kunming Import and Export Fair (hereinafter referred to as CSAE) were held in Kunming, Yunnan Province. The six-day event attracted participants from 73 countries, regions, and international organizations, covering all countries in South and Southeast Asia.

This year’s exposition maintained the theme of “Unity and Cooperation for Common Development”. Among the 16 exhibition halls, nearly 70% were specialized pavilions. China-South Asia Exposition has become an important platform for China and South Asian countries to enhance exchanges, deepen cooperation, and seek common development.

Eye-catching Featured Pavilions   

Chess masters engaging in a “Chu-Han Battle” with robots, a coffee-making robotic arm crafting nearly perfect latte art, and AI-powered fitness machines tailoring personalized exercise programs... Upon entering the venue of China-South Asia Exposition, one is immediately immersed in the wave of digital economy and artificial intelligence, with a dazzling array of high-tech exhibits on display.

In the prologue hall of the Manufacturing Pavilion, light sport aircraft and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft hovered in the air. At the main entrance, robots dressed in ethnic minority costumes danced gracefully with robotic dogs, creating a technological and cultural performance that blended ethnic elements with a futuristic feel.

This performance ignited the entire venue and further demonstrated Yunnan Province’s determination to embrace new technologies and nurture new-quality productive forces. Inside the Manufacturing Pavilion, 52 leading companies in the industry showcased over 200 cutting-edge achievements.

Three Fortune Global 500 companies and 10 national-level specialized and innovative “little giant” enterprises were also present, which provided a comprehensive display of the innovative vitality and broad prospects of China’s manufacturing industry in the fields of new materials, rare and precious metals, and intelligent manufacturing.

It is worth mentioning that CSAE has, for the first time, established a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Industry Pavilion this year, which showcases the entire chain upgrade of Chinese herbal medicine, from standardized planting to innovative research and development of new medicines and health products, intelligent processing, and market circulation.

The exposition has also set up a Sojourn-in-Yunnan Pavilion for the first time, which includes three major themed exhibition areas: Sojourning in Yunnan, Living in Yunnan, and Wellness Paradise. Through intangible cultural heritage performances and resource promotion, the exhibition presents the beauty of Yunnan that “begins with natural landscapes and ends with the hustle and bustle of daily life”.

Fruitful Economic and Trade Cooperation   

The exhibition halls were bustling with crowds, filled with conversations in various languages. Particularly memorable to the reporter was a couple of exhibitors from Iran.

“We traveled for seven days, walking for five of them, constantly changing transportation and rushing to make our schedule, and only arrived at the venue on the 21st,” said Iranian exhibitor Hamed Hassan Majeed. Due to the lack of exhibitor credentials, the couple were unable to enter the exhibition hall. Upon learning of their situation, the venue staff proactively assisted them in processing the necessary exhibition procedures and quickly issued the required credentials. The venue staff also actively coordinated with security and, through an application for additional goods, ensured that the exhibitors’ products were promptly transported to their booth and displayed in time.

On the well-arranged booth, the exquisitely crafted Iranian carpets, vases, and plates were highly favored by the audience. Hassan Majeed said, “I participated in the exposition last year. This year I brought my wife along. We hope to bring the best products from Iran to everyone, and we also want to take the best products from China to the rest of the world.”

For the first time, this year’s exposition established “CSAE Launching Hall”, providing exhibitors with a platform for the launch and exhibition of new products, technologies, and services. During the event, nearly 40 professional economic and trade events, including China-South Asia Cooperation Forum and United Nations and International Public Procurement South Asian Market Demand Analysis and Project Matching Conference, precisely matched industrial resources and served the needs of exhibitors and buyers, demonstrating the high level, professionalism, and international nature of the event organization.

As of June 23, a total of 163 trade contracts had been signed at this year's CSAE, amounting to 8.663 billion yuan. In addition, more than 20 cooperation projects in various fields, including supply chain services, international logistics, and overseas warehouse construction, were also facilitated at the exposition, which would be conducive to Yunnan's transformation from a regional trade hub to a global industrial chain pivot.

Cultural Exchanges and Mutual Appreciation   

What kind of sparks will be ignited when tradition meets modernity, and intangible cultural heritage meets fashion?

During this year’s CSAE, “Silk Road Cloud Garment” CSAE Fashion Week, which used Yi embroidery from Chuxiong, Yunnan, as a medium and integrated the beauty of global costumes, made a stunning debut. Twenty-five intangible cultural heritage fashion shows from the country of honor, Sri Lanka, as well as Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and other South and Southeast Asian countries, and from Yunnan and other areas of China, were showcased in succession, presenting a fashion extravaganza that crossed borders and blended ethnicities.

Sri Lankan exhibitor Nimal Ratnayake said, “I am very happy to see such a wonderful event. This is my first time in China, and I am looking forward to coming again.” Fu Cheng, a clothing professional from Yunnan, shared a similar view: “Through the fashion shows, I have seen the inheritance of Yunnan’s ethnic minority clothing culture in contemporary times. In the future, I will also integrate cultural elements such as Chuxiong Yi embroidery into the design, production, and development of modern clothing.”

Relying on the digital trade platform of CSAE, CSAE Fashion Week also actively explored digital application scenarios of “blockchain traceability + cross-border e-commerce”. It joined hands with cross-border e-commerce platforms to build a “Yi Embroidery International Cloud Exhibition Hall”. By conducting online live-streaming sales and offline ordering meetings simultaneously, it promoted the deep integration of the cultural industry and the digital economy, and comprehensively demonstrated the achievements of new-quality productive forces.

Contributed by Xu Xinyu, Guangming Daily reporter

Translated by Zheng Yiyang