ASEAN Chief: CAFTA 3.0 to boost China-ASEAN cooperation

ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn announced that the protocol for enhancing the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) 3.0 will be signed during the ASEAN-China Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October, representing a significant step forward in bilateral economic cooperation.

The CAFTA 3.0 negotiations, which began in November 2022, concluded in October 2024 after nine rounds. The full completion was announced in May 2025.

Kao said that the upgrade will enhance bilateral trade, investments, and tourism, promoting collaboration in the digital economy.

The total population of 1.4 billion in China and 700 million in ASEAN will produce substantial multiplier effects in digital sectors, he emphasized.

Kao said the importance of the Tianjin Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in the current global context, praising China's efforts in supporting multilateralism.

He pointed out vast prospects for ASEAN-China cooperation in high-tech, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and culture, emphasizing their roles as each other's leading trading partners.

Positioning Guangxi and its Free Trade Zone as key links, the upgrade is expected to enhance regional connectivity. It utilizes synergies between CAFTA 3.0 and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership to bring stability to global trade.