China hopes for major ASEAN ties boost

China is willing to vigorously improve the level of economic and trade cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and build a closer China-ASEAN community with shared interests, said a senior official during the opening ceremony of the 19th China-ASEAN Expo on Friday in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

The expo is themed around sharing new opportunities from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement and jointly advancing version 3.0 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area.

Chinese Vice-Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China is willing to increase imports of quality products from ASEAN countries, especially agricultural goods, and promote deep integration of industrial, supply and value chains between the two sides.