China's Ministry of Commerce announced its commitment to support digital and new energy enterprises in expanding their presence within ASEAN markets. The ministry emphasized deepening bilateral cooperation in cutting-edge fields such as cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence, financial technology, green equipment, and green power sources, while also promoting closer integration of industrial and supply chains.
The remarks were delivered by Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong during a regular press briefing held on April 2. He noted that the upgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Version 3.0 protocol was officially signed on October 28 last year. The updated agreement aligns with new trends in international trade and economic development, and for the first time incorporates emerging areas such as the digital economy, green economy, and industrial and supply chain connectivity into its framework.
According to the terms of the protocol, the agreement will take effect once it is ratified by China and at least five ASEAN member states. The Ministry of Commerce is currently working alongside ASEAN members to accelerate domestic approval procedures, aiming for the protocol to be implemented as soon as possible.
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