Roundtable on deepening China–ASEAN economic and trade cooperation held in Beijing

The ASEAN Secretary-General Beijing Roundtable Dialogue is held in Beijing, capital of China, July 24, 2025. (Photo provided by the Promotion of Economic and Trade Cambodia-ASEAN Association)

The ASEAN Secretary-General Beijing Roundtable Dialogue, co-hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Beijing Sub-Council, the Beijing Chamber of International Commerce, and Promotion of Economic and Trade Cambodia-ASEAN Association, was held in Beijing on Thursday. Representatives from 33 leading enterprises and industry organizations across finance, technology, modern services, healthcare, and other sectors from China and ASEAN gathered to exchange views under the theme "Shared Opportunities, Common Prosperity and a New Journey of Cooperation."

This year marks the 34th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN and the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area. Official data shows that in 2024, bilateral trade between China and ASEAN reached 6.99 trillion yuan, a 9.0% increase, accounting for 15.9% of China’s total foreign trade. ASEAN has remained China’s largest trading partner for five consecutive years, while China has been ASEAN’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years.

Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, delivers a speech at the ASEAN Secretary-General Beijing Roundtable Dialogue held in Beijing, capital of China, July 24, 2025. (Photo provided by the Promotion of Economic and Trade Cambodia-ASEAN Association)

In his speech, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn highlighted the dynamic and resilient economic ties between ASEAN and China. To further deepen cooperation, he emphasized the need to establish a stable and reliable economic framework, ensure the effective implementation of the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). He also called for expanding cooperation beyond traditional frameworks, deepening collaboration in high-quality infrastructure and green finance, and encouraged the business communities of both sides to actively participate in advancing China–ASEAN economic and trade cooperation to a new level.

During the dialogue, corporate representatives shared their development experiences and expressed optimism about the vast potential for future collaboration between China and ASEAN.

Pov Somnang, Special Assistant to the Secretary-General of ASEAN and President of the Promotion of Economic and Trade Cambodia-ASEAN Association, delivers a speech at the ASEAN Secretary-General Beijing Roundtable Dialogue held in Beijing, capital of China, July 24, 2025. (Photo provided by the Promotion of Economic and Trade Cambodia-ASEAN Association)

Pov Somnang, Special Assistant to the Secretary-General of ASEAN and President of the Promotion of Economic and Trade Cambodia-ASEAN Association, stated that the Association will continue serving as a bridge to implement the meeting’s consensus, facilitate business matchmaking, enhance institutional synergy and policy integration, and promote more cooperative projects. He reaffirmed its commitment to contributing to regional economic growth and global recovery.