The Chinese premier Li Qiang highlighted the significance of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 upgrade on Tuesday at the 28th China-ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur. He described the new protocol as a gateway to deeper bilateral economic and trade cooperation.
The summit, attended by leaders across ASEAN and China, opened with the signing of the FTA 3.0 Upgrade Protocol witnessed by Li and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Premier Li noted that the enhanced framework aims to boost market access, foster investment and streamline trade processes.
This milestone follows years of collaboration since the original FTA launch, reinforcing the region's commitment to open markets and shared prosperity. Observers say the upgrade could pave the way for fresh partnerships in key sectors across the bloc.
As China and ASEAN move forward with the 3.0 framework, businesses and consumers in both markets can expect a new chapter of growth, innovation and closer ties in the world's largest regional trade area by population.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
