The ASEAN-China Week 2025 kicked off Monday in Fuzhou, east China's Fujian Province, spotlighting shared modernization goals and deepening regional ties amid global uncertainty.
Centered on the theme "Shared Future: Connecting the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 with Chinese Modernization," representatives from various sectors in China and ASEAN countries gathered to discuss collaborative plans for mutual growth.
The forum will host 12 key and related events, all designed to energize and accelerate efforts to strengthen the partnership between China and ASEAN. At the opening ceremony of the event, the China-ASEAN Trade and Investment Cooperation Progress Report (2024-2025) was officially released, showcasing the substantial achievements of economic and trade cooperation between the two sides.
Data shows that China and ASEAN have been each other's largest trading partners for several consecutive years, with bilateral trade remaining robust in 2024. From January to October this year, trade volume reached 862.73 billion U.S. dollars, reflecting an 8.2 percent increase.
All 11 ASEAN member states sent representatives to participate in this year's ASEAN-China Week, with many nations also dispatching high-level delegations, which demonstrates ASEAN's strong commitment and enthusiasm for advancing China-ASEAN relations.
"The international landscape is increasingly complex. We face a confluence of challenges, from economic fragmentation to technological disruption as well as the strains on our multilateral, rules-based order. In the face of these headwinds, ASEAN and China must stand in solidarity. We must champion the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness, and inclusiveness," said Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah, president of the Dewan Negara, Malaysia upper house of Parliament.
At the same time, this year's ASEAN-China Week also announced the official launch of cross-border operations for the China-ASEAN Seafood Exchange, making it the world's first international seafood-themed trading platform.
"Since the establishment of dialogue and relations over 30 years ago, China-ASEAN relations have become a model for successful and vibrant cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. In response to the impacts of unilateralism and protectionism on the international economic and trade order, as well as the challenges posed by power politics and acts of bullying in international relations, this year's ASEAN-China Week will seek to build consensus among all parties and propose a 'China-ASEAN Plan' to collaboratively address risks and challenges while creating a brighter shared future, thereby building a closer community with a shared future for China and ASEAN," said ASEAN-China Center Secretary-General Shi Zhongjun.
ASEAN-China Week 2025 opens in east China's Fuzhou
