On the morning of 11 September 2021, ASEAN-China Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations was held in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. Under the theme of “Hand in hand to promote China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation to new success”. More than 300 people attended the forum, including Mr. Lan Tianli, Chairman of the People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr. Ren Hongbin, Vice Minister of Commerce of China, Dato Dr. Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Competent Minister of Finance and Economy of ASEAN rotating Chair Brunei Darussalam, Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of ASEAN, heads of trade and economic authorities of ASEAN Member States (AMS), Mr. Pehin Dato Rahmani, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to China, Mrs. Khamphao Ernthavanh, Ambassador of Lao PDR to China, Mr. Raja Nushirwan, Ambassador of Malaysia to China, Mr. Myo Thant Pe, Ambassador of Myanmar to China, Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot, Ambassador of Thailand to China, Mr. Pham Sao Mai, Ambassador of Vietnam to China and representatives from AMS embassies and consulates general in China, as well as AMS and Chinese government officials, business leaders, experts and scholars. Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), attended and addressed the forum.

 Chairman Lan Tianli said in his welcoming speech that as the sole provincial region in China bordering AMS by land and sea, Guangxi is an active promoter, a deeply engaged participant and a direct beneficiary of ASEAN-China strategic cooperation. Guangxi is willing to work with all sides to deepen cross-border industrial cooperation, build new channels for international trade and make greater contributions to building a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future.

Vice Minister Ren Hongbin noted that ASEAN is welcome to share the outcomes of China's economic development. China is willing to work with ASEAN to summarize the valuable experiences of 30 years of friendship and cooperation, further synergize development strategies, jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, further strengthen cooperation on anti-pandemic efforts, deepen trade and investment cooperation, and promote the trade and economic partnership between the two sides to a new height.

Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi said since the establishment of dialogue relations in 1991, economic and trade relations between ASEAN and China have grown significantly, and people-to-people exchanges have become closer, opening broader prospects for cooperation between the two sides. Both sides should enhance their economic and trade resilience, upgrade free trade agreements, ensure the smooth functioning of supply chains, and vigorously explore new cooperation modalities under the themes of digital economy and sustainable development cooperation.

Secretary-General Chen Dehai said over the past 30 years, ASEAN and China have been supporting each other to realize win-win outcomes, and their economic and trade cooperation has grown by a great leap, creating an important pillar for regional development and prosperity. ASEAN and China should continue to coordinate their development plans, deepen regional cooperation, jointly build the Belt and Road at a higher level with high quality, and open a new chapter of common development in the post-pandemic era.

During the forum, the participants witnessed the official release of the ASEAN-China Import and Export Trade Index.