INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The China-South Asia Expo promotes trade linkage among China, South Asia and Southeast Asia, especially in green trade and digital trade
sectors, Bui Lien Thao, a specialist at the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, has said."Vietnam
treasures win-win cooperation with China in various spheres, including import-export and modern transport infrastructure development," said
Thao in a recent interview.Her remarks came as the 9th China-South Asia Expo is being held in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan
Province, from June 19 to June 24.Beyond trade, Thao said Vietnam values China's role in promoting the resilience and security of regional
supply chains amid growing geopolitical uncertainties, noting that "Supply chain cooperation with China reduces over-dependence and builds
resilience."Thao also welcomed China's consistent stance on supporting multilateralism and inclusive development, adding that "Initiatives
like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the China-South Asia Expo show a clear commitment to inclusive globalization, in
contrast to protectionist trends."The six-day event has brought together more than 2,500 enterprises from home and abroad, featuring 16
exhibition halls, nearly 70 percent of which are dedicated to professional sectors such as manufacturing, green energy, the coffee industry
and traditional Chinese medicine.Among the crowds, MD Samrat Babor from Bangladesh stopped by a Chinese manufacturer's booth to inspect rows
Visiting the expo for the first time, he noted that while incandescent bulbs were once common in his country, made-in-China LED lights are
now gaining popularity."Even my family use these with supreme quality," he said, hoping to establish connections with more Chinese
enterprises during this trip and bring energy-efficient bulbs back to Bangladesh.To support export growth from the least-developed countries
in South Asia, China has implemented a zero-tariff policy on eligible products from nations such as Afghanistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh
The policy provides a solid foundation for returning exhibitors to deepen their engagement with the Chinese market.Ali Azghar Faiz, a carpet
merchant from war-torn Afghanistan, attended the expo for the third time
Encouraged by his previous successful experience, he brought a wider range of products featuring diverse colors and designs to cater to
Chinese consumers."We hope we can open a door, a window for Afghan products for the Chinese market
Through these kinds of platforms, we can also introduce the Afghan products, Afghan culture to our Chinese friends," he said.The expo was
first held in Kunming in 2013, the same year China put forward the Belt and Road Initiative
It has since facilitated over 110 billion U.S
dollars in foreign trade transactions and served more than 20,000 enterprises.In 2024, trade between China and South Asian countries neared
$200 billion, doubling over the past decade with an average annual growth rate of 6.3 percent, according to data from the Ministry of
Commerce.China remains committed to high-level opening up and is advancing Chinese modernization through high-quality development – a
process that will create valuable opportunities for cooperation with countries around the world, including those in South Asia, Vice
Minister of Commerce Yan Dong said at the opening ceremony.The expo is also fostering new partnerships beyond South Asia
On Friday, Dubai-based floral dealer Forevermore Flower Trading, a first-time participant, signed a deal worth 150 million yuan (about $21
million) with a local supplier in Yunnan, one of Asia's key fresh flower trading hubs."Yunnan's flowers offer both variety and consistently
improving quality," said Xu Nan, a representative of Forevermore Flower Trading, expecting that Yunnan's premium blooms will attract more
Middle Eastern customers. (With input from agencies）
