Policy & RegulationAnalysis
Ding Xuexiang to Address 23rd China-ASEAN Expo Opening in Nanning
China's executive vice premier will deliver a keynote speech alongside senior Southeast Asian officials and ASEAN's secretary-general.
Share
RTVMalacanang via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
The Brief
Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang will attend and deliver an address at the opening ceremony of the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and the concurrent China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit on September 17 in Nanning, Guangxi. According to a Foreign Ministry announcement carried by state media, Ding will join Southeast Asian dignitaries, including senior officials from Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos, alongside ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn. The annual gathering serves as a primary institutional channel for Beijing's economic diplomacy with Southeast Asia.
Why it matters
The China-ASEAN Expo functions as Beijing's premier institutional platform for trade and investment engagement with Southeast Asia. In an increasingly fragmented global trade environment, sending a member of the Politburo Standing Committee to address regional leaders signals Beijing's prioritisation of economic integration with its immediate periphery. The presence of high-level Southeast Asian delegations underscores the region's shared interest in commercial continuity, supply chain resilience, and cross-border infrastructure.
China context
ASEAN has maintained its position as China's largest trading partner in recent years, making bilateral trade and industrial coordination central to Beijing's external economic strategy. Ding Xuexiang's presence at the Nanning expo reflects leadership focus on advancing regional economic frameworks, including the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) 3.0 negotiations and Belt and Road connectivity projects. As China manages economic headwinds and external trade frictions with Western markets, reinforcing commercial ties across Southeast Asia provides vital export diversification and regional economic depth.
Editor's View
EDITOR'S VIEW — Analysis and inference, not factual reporting.
Ding's attendance reinforces the political importance Beijing assigns to Southeast Asian diplomacy. While the official dispatch is brief, the profile of attending leaders—particularly from neighbouring Mekong nations and the ASEAN Secretariat—highlights the continued focus on land-border connectivity and regional supply chains. Observers should look beyond ceremonial remarks to monitor whether any bilateral meetings occur on the sidelines, particularly regarding cross-border trade facilitation, digital economy standards, and industrial capacity cooperation.
What to watch
- Key policy priorities and economic cooperation initiatives articulated in Ding Xuexiang's opening address on September 17.
- Potential bilateral meetings between Ding and attending Southeast Asian officials on the sidelines in Nanning.
- Announcements on the progress of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 negotiations or major bilateral investment agreements signed during the expo.
Key Takeaways
- 1Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang will attend and address the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo opening ceremony on September 17 in Nanning.
- 2Senior foreign dignitaries attending include leaders and deputy prime ministers from Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos, as well as ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.
- 3The expo serves as China's primary institutional trade and investment platform for deepening economic integration with Southeast Asian nations.
Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang will attend and address the opening ceremony of the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning, Guangxi, on September 17, state media reported on September 16, citing a Foreign Ministry announcement.
Ding, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will lead the Chinese delegation at the annual multilateral trade forum. The event, held in the regional capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, serves as China’s flagship commercial gathering dedicated to fostering trade and investment ties with the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
A roster of foreign dignitaries and senior officials from Southeast Asia will participate in the opening ceremony. Attendees announced by the Foreign Ministry include Myanmar Vice President Nyo Saw, Vietnam’s Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc, and Laos’s Standing Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn will also attend the opening proceedings alongside other international guests.
The 23rd edition of the expo convenes amid sustained efforts by Beijing and Southeast Asian capitals to deepen regional economic integration. ASEAN has stood as China’s largest trading partner for multiple consecutive years, underpinned by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and ongoing negotiations to upgrade the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area to version 3.0.
Guangxi has historically served as China's overland and maritime gateway to Southeast Asia, making Nanning the permanent host city for the expo since its inception. Ding's address is expected to highlight China's trade policy stance, supply chain resilience, and bilateral investment priorities as regional economies navigate shifting global trade dynamics.
Sources
- 丁薛祥将出席第23届中国—东盟博览会暨中国—东盟商务与投资峰会开幕式--时政--人民网 — People's Daily · 9/16/2026
- 丁薛祥将出席第23届中国—东盟博览会暨中国—东盟商务与投资峰会开幕式 — State Council of China · 9/16/2026