The China-ASEAN Expo has long served as a catalyst for the development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, consistently fostering economic and trade exchanges between China and Malaysia, thereby significantly enhancing the quality and upgrading of bilateral economic integration. According to data from the General Administration of Customs, ASEAN remained China's largest trading partner in the first two months of 2026, with Malaysia maintaining a leading position among ASEAN member states. Malaysia has consistently placed great importance on deepening exchanges and cooperation with China through the Expo, having served as the Country of Honor for the 8th, 19th, and 21st editions. High-level Malaysian delegations participate annually, which has strongly facilitated the signing and implementation of major projects, including the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" initiative and large-scale photovoltaic projects in locations such as Terengganu. Cities including Kuala Lumpur and Penang have been featured as "Cities of Charm" at the Expo, further strengthening local-level economic, trade, and people-to-people ties between the two nations. At the 22nd Expo, the Malaysia Commodity Pavilion attracted large crowds, with specialty products such as Musang King durian, coffee, and bird's nest continuing their high popularity from previous years. Multiple Malaysian high-tech enterprises showcased the cooperative exchanges in artificial intelligence between the two countries, as well as Malaysia's latest achievements and demands in this field. Throughout various editions of the Expo, Malaysian participants have actively engaged in a series of investment and trade promotion activities, driving cooperation from simple product transactions towards deeper collaboration in building industrial and supply chains. For instance, the China-Malaysia Enterprise Cooperation Matchmaking Event has been held consecutively for seven years in Nanning, focusing on "Characteristic Agricultural Products from Southeast Asia" to further build consensus among enterprises and facilitate resource matching. These practical activities have promoted the evolution of China-Malaysia cooperation from primary goods trade to higher-level collaboration, including joint construction of industrial and supply chains and innovation synergy. Preparations are actively underway for the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo, which will closely align with the nine new cooperation areas under the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0, such as the digital economy, green economy, and cross-border industrial and supply chains. The Expo will support initiatives like "Shop in China," "Export to China," and "Invest in China," helping businesses tap into the vast markets of both China and ASEAN. The Expo Secretariat will conduct global promotion roadshows and organize enterprise participation in overseas exhibitions to fully communicate the new business opportunities arising from the FTA 3.0 upgrade. Efforts will encourage Malaysian high-quality consumer goods and high-value-added exhibits to participate, improve investment project matching services, and assist enterprises from both countries in integrating into cross-border industrial and supply chains. Concurrently, the application of artificial intelligence will be leveraged to enhance economic and trade cooperation, supporting Guangxi's goal of becoming a hub for AI collaboration facing ASEAN.
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