Guangxi–ASEAN Business Exchange Draws 250 Delegates in Nanning

Summary

The 2026 China (Guangxi)–ASEAN Business Cooperation Exchange was held on 16 September in Nanning, drawing about 250 attendees, including heads of business associations and enterprises from Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, New Zealand, Uzbekistan and other countries and regions, as well as leaders of provincial and municipal CCPIT offices, business associations and enterprises from across China. A key trade and economic side event under the framework of the 23rd China–ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, the exchange centred on the theme 'Deepening ASEAN Business Cooperation to Share New Opportunities under Version 3.0', aiming to align precisely with the policy benefits of the China–ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0. Yang Yanyan, President of the Guangxi Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT Guangxi) and Secretary-General of the Secretariat of the China–ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, said in her address that with the opening of the Pinglu Canal to navigation and the continued development of the China–ASEAN FTA 3.0, Guangxi is ready to work with CCPIT bodies nationwide and the ASEAN business community to deepen trade and investment ties through the canal as a link.

She also called for cooperation in areas such as computing power sharing, standards alignment, technology connectivity, scenario co-development, cross-border data flows, cross-border e-commerce and offshore digital services, so as to amplify the 'Guangxi integration' clustering effect. The exchange facilitated the establishment of a strategic partnership between Guangxi Beibu Gulf Bank and Guangxi business associations in ASEAN countries including Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, focusing on cooperation in digital industries and cross-border finance. CCPIT offices in eight prefecture-level cities — Nanning, Qinzhou, Fangchenggang, Beihai and four others — jointly signed the Framework Agreement on Trade and Investment Cooperation among CCPIT Bodies of Core Cities of the Pinglu Canal Economic Belt.

During the investment environment and project promotion session, CCPIT Nanning presented the 'Nanning One-Stop Platform for Enterprises Going Global'.

Commentary

Negotiations on the China–ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 have substantially concluded, covering emerging areas such as the digital economy and green economy, injecting new momentum into regional trade and economic cooperation. As a frontline region facing ASEAN, Guangxi is strengthening its position as a logistics hub through infrastructure projects such as the Pinglu Canal, while initiatives like the 'Nanning One-Stop Platform for Enterprises Going Global' are designed to lower cross-border costs for businesses. For New Zealand SMEs, ASEAN offers substantial growth potential, but they need to watch how shifting supply chain integration between China and ASEAN changes the competitive landscape.

New Zealand has strengths in dairy and agricultural technology and can use the China–ASEAN platform to explore third-market cooperation, for example by entering ASEAN through Guangxi's cross-border e-commerce channels. At the same time, as digital trade rules gradually converge, NZ firms should adapt early to new requirements such as cross-border data flows to avoid compliance risks. The cross-border financial cooperation promoted at the exchange, such as the strategic partnership between Beibu Gulf Bank and ASEAN business associations, could offer NZ firms settlement convenience, though the actual on-the-ground results still need to be assessed.

Once the Pinglu Canal opens to navigation, sea–land intermodal efficiency between southwest China and ASEAN will improve, potentially shifting trade routes for some goods, and NZ exporters will need to reassess logistics costs and transit times.

Keywords: China–ASEAN Business Cooperation Exchange, Nanning, Guangxi, China–ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0, Pinglu Canal Economic Belt, Yang Yanyan, Guangxi Beibu Gulf Bank, cross-border finance, China–ASEAN Business and Investment Summit

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

2026中国（广西）—东盟工商合作交流会于9月16日在南宁举办，来自越南、柬埔寨、菲律宾、马来西亚、泰国、日本、新西兰、乌兹别克斯坦等国家和地区的商协机构及企业负责人，国内各省（区、市）贸促会领导、商协机构和企业负责人共约250人出席。该交流会为第23届中国—东盟商务与投资峰会框架下的重要经贸配套活动，围绕“深化东盟工商合作共享3.0版发展新机遇”主题，精准对接自贸区3.0版政策红利。广西贸促会会长、中国—东盟商务与投资峰会秘书处秘书长杨雁雁在致辞中表示，随着平陆运河通航、中国—东盟自贸区3.0版建设持续推进，愿联动全国贸促机构，携手东盟工商界，以运河为纽带深化经贸投资往来，并围绕算力共享、标准对接、技术互通、场景共建、跨境数据流通、跨境电商、离岸数字服务等领域开展合作，持续放大“广西集成”聚合效应。

交流会推动广西北部湾银行与越南、泰国、马来西亚等东盟国家的广西商协机构建立战略伙伴关系，围绕数字产业与跨境金融等领域开展合作；南宁、钦州、防城港、北海等8个设区市贸促会共同签署《平陆运河经济带核心城市贸促机构经贸投资合作框架协议》。在投资环境及项目推介环节，南宁市贸促会介绍了“南宁企业一站式出海服务平台”。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

中国—东盟自贸区3.0版谈判已实质性结束，涵盖数字经济、绿色经济等新兴领域，为区域经贸合作注入新动能。广西作为面向东盟的前沿，正通过平陆运河等基建项目强化物流枢纽地位，其“南宁企业一站式出海服务平台”等举措旨在降低企业跨境成本。对NZ中小企业而言，东盟市场增长潜力巨大，但需关注中国与东盟供应链整合带来的竞争格局变化。

新西兰在乳制品、农业科技等领域具有优势，可借助中国—东盟平台探索第三方市场合作，例如通过广西的跨境电商通道进入东盟。同时，数字贸易规则逐步统一，NZ企业应提前适应数据跨境流动等新规，避免合规风险。交流会推动的跨境金融合作，如北部湾银行与东盟商协机构战略伙伴关系，或为NZ企业提供结算便利，但需评估实际落地效果。

平陆运河通航后，中国西南地区与东盟的海陆联运效率提升，可能改变部分商品的贸易路线，NZ出口商需重新评估物流成本与时效。

关键词: 中国—东盟工商合作交流会, 广西南宁, 自贸区3.0版, 平陆运河经济带, 杨雁雁, 广西北部湾银行, 跨境金融, 中国—东盟商务与投资峰会

Source: Nanning Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Nanning International Chamber of Commerce