An audience checks a craft at the 9th CSAE on June 21, 2025. Photo: VCG
The six-day 9th China-South Asia Expo (CSAE) will conclude in Kunming, Southwest China’s Yunnan Province, on Tuesday, with participants of the international expo yielding fruitful trade outcomes.
As of Monday, 150 trade contracts worth 8.3 billion yuan ($1.16 billion) had been signed at the expo, including 91 agreements with Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership member countries, accounting for 1.39 billion yuan of the total, an official of the expo’s executive committee told the Global Times.
At the same time, several foreign officials praised China’s important role in advancing regional cooperation and stressed the need to deepen ties with China amid an increasingly complex global landscape.
Arun Hemachandra, Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, told the Global Times on the sidelines of the expo that China plays a very important role in bringing up economy despite unprecedented situation going on in the world, emphasizing that China is on the right track in building regional cooperation.
Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Hemachandra Photo: Courtesy of the executive committee of the 9th CSAE
Sri Lanka, the theme country of this year’s CSAE, sees the event as a valuable platform to explore global business opportunities. “We should also always remember that China is a good market. So by taking part in a number of trade fairs, exhibitions and expos, we really get some opportunities to promote our products to buyers from other parts of the world,” the minister said.
“I believe this expo has created a new opportunity for us to showcase our products — be it gems, tea, cinnamon, batik, and others — as well as in the services sector, particularly tourism. It has opened a new pathway for us,” said Hemachandra, noting that these events are created to enhance the relationships between nations, as well as ties and economic stability.
“I’m pretty sure we are on the right track,” Hemachandra reaffirmed.
A total of 482 enterprises from eight South Asian countries and the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry were participating across two dedicated pavilions, with 699 standard booths in place, the expo’s executive committee said.
As of Sunday, the South Asia Pavilion reported total transactions of 4.48 million yuan for the first four days of the expo, up 59.2 percent from the previous edition.
“Solidarity and Cooperation for Common Development” remains the theme of this year’s expo, which is also the theme of the last edition of CSAE, and Thailand is the guest country of honor. This year’s CSAE offers an expanded platform for South Asian products, with two dedicated pavilions and nearly 800 exhibition booths.
“As the world faces economic challenges, I believe we are at a turning point,” Ambassador of Nepal to China Krishna Prasad Oli told the Global Times, noting that the unipolar world of the past is giving way to a multipolar system, with major roles now played by countries like China, Russia, India, Brazil, and others. In this context, we must learn to work together.
The Ambassador of Nepal to China Krishna Prasad Oli Photo: Courtesy of the executive committee of the 9th CSAE
China, as the world’s manufacturing hub and a leader in technological innovation, plays a crucial role, said Oli, noting that progress in clean energy — solar, wind, geothermal, and green technology — is something we can all learn from.
He expressed optimism about the future of Asia, adding that if we cooperate and coordinate more closely, we can achieve shared prosperity. “Nepal is eager to work with China and other neighbors in this journey. I also invite more Chinese friends to visit Nepal. Your presence is always a support to us, and a bridge for lasting friendship.”
Exhibitors from India, Nepal and other South Asian countries spoke highly of the immense opportunities presented by the Chinese market at the 9th CSAE, not only in terms of scale and potential, but also the international visibility and business connections enabled by participating in Chinese trade expos.
At the opening ceremony of the expo, senior officials from multiple countries emphasized that in today’s complex global landscape, China’s hosting of events such as the China-South Asia Expo presents new opportunities for regional cooperation, mutual benefit, and shared prosperity. They stated that such platforms are expected to further promote trade and economic exchanges among regional countries and deliver tangible benefits to their people, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday.
Lao Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune said the expo has created valuable opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs from countries including Laos to engage in trade, investment, commercial cooperation, and market connectivity, according to the Xinhua News Agency. He noted that the event will also help strengthen mutual understanding and trust among nations, supporting governments and private enterprises in building a brighter and more sustainable future.
In 2024, trade between China and South Asian nations approached $200 billion, doubling over the past decade with an average annual growth rate of about 6.3 percent, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.
