On 13 October 2025, the ASEAN-China (Henan) International Conference on Agricultural Produce Trade and Investment Cooperation & “One-to-One” Precision Matching Conference, co-hosted by the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and the People’s Government of Henan Province, was held on the sidelines of the 2025 ASEAN-China (Henan) Cooperation and Development Conference on Food and Agriculture. H.E. Ambassador Shi Zhongjun, Secretary General of the ACC, attended and addressed the event.

SG Shi noted that ASEAN has become China’s largest agricultural trading partner and a prime destination for Chinese agro-investment, while China is the single largest market for many ASEAN farm products. The full implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area has drastically cut trade costs and created strong momentum to deepen ASEAN-China agricultural cooperation. Facing the U.S. tariff measures which have disrupted global supply chains, and caused greater uncertainty in the international trade, both ASEAN and China should translate the consensus of their leaders into concrete action and continuously expand collaboration on agricultural technology, digital economy, green agriculture and smart farming to substantially contribute to economic integration.

Mayor Zhuang Jianqiu of Zhengzhou highlighted the city’s unique advantages in transport connectivity, industrial clustering, agro-technology and grain reserves, expressing Zhengzhou’s readiness to further deepen agro-industrial cooperation with ASEAN countries, and achieve win-win development of complementary strengths.

H.E. Ing Kimleang, Deputy Governor of Siem Reap Province of Cambodia, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture & Environment of Vietnam and Laos, shared the current situation and specific needs of their respective agricultural sectors. They believed that ASEAN and Henan enjoy huge cooperation potential, and expressed their willingness to further expand collaboration with Henan and make contribution to the regional agro-economic connectivity.

During the conference, representatives from China’s Agricultural Trade Promotion Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Affairs and Zhengzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce delivered in-depth briefings on the RCEP agro-trade rules and Zhengzhou’s policies on encouraging foreign investment and local enterprises to explore overseas markets. Leading Henan-based companies such as Zhengzhou Agricultural Development Group Co., Ltd, as well as business associations and enterprises from ASEAN countries, presented their industrial strengths and cooperation needs. Nearly 80 enterprises from both sides held “one-on-one” targeted business matchmaking−concluding a number of preliminary cooperation deals on site.

Under the theme “Energize Agricultural Cooperation and Forge Closer Economic & Trade Ties,” the conference provided an efficient and pragmatic platform for agro-enterprises from Henan and ASEAN countries to expand their partnership and networks. Around 200 representatives from government, business and academic communities of ASEAN and China attended the event, engaging in productive discussions and yielding fruitful cooperation outcomes.