Interview: ASEAN's economic aspirations gain engagement, exposure through Chinese trade expos, says Malaysian analyst

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's major trade expos are giving strong momentum to the economic aspirations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through greater exposure and engagement with Chinese companies and consumers, according to an analyst.

From the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) to the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), these platforms have become vital channels for regional trade and cooperation, providing wider market access, stronger investment flows and deeper cooperation, said Umathevi Munikrishnan, assistant professor and head of the Department of Management Studies at UCSI University's Faculty of Business and Management.

Summarizing China's approach to global trade, Umathevi said the Asian economic powerhouse has mastered the art of opening doors, making deals, and updating the rulebook enabling trade with Chinese companies and its massive consumer base straightforward and approachable.

"China has steadily widened market access by easing restrictions in key service sectors. It has created large-scale platforms like CIFTIS and CAEXPO that attract hundreds of global companies and turn conversations into real contracts, and it has worked with its partners to align trade rules on digital services, green industries and logistics," she said.

Umathevi noted that ASEAN can make better use of these platforms to expand both the depth and breadth of cooperation, stressing that they are geared toward achieving real outcomes rather than serving merely as public relations events.

"The real power of these expos is that they deliver outcomes, not just optics. At CIFTIS 2025, more than 900 agreements were signed in fields such as IT, healthcare and finance. This clearly shows that the platforms translate discussions into investment," she said.

"These events are not only marketplaces. They are launchpads for cooperation in services, technology and green innovation. ASEAN's challenge now is not access, but ambition. Too often, the region is seen only as a supplier of raw materials or low-cost goods. By approaching CIFTIS and CAEXPO strategically, ASEAN can reframe itself as a hub for digital services, green energy, logistics, healthcare and cultural industries," she explained.

Umathevi suggested that ASEAN could present itself more effectively through joint pavilions to better amplify the ASEAN's brand, as well as through better coordination between state-owned enterprises, the private sector, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which continue to be the backbone of ASEAN economies.

On the government and policymaker side, Umathevi suggested that ASEAN governments could push for practical reforms such as streamlined customs processes, mutual recognition of standards and digital trade rules that smooth business flows on the sidelines of these expos.

Rapid progress in economic development is possible if ASEAN fully utilizes these platforms and moves from being a guest of Chinese trade opportunities to becoming a true co-architect of the region's economic future, Umathevi emphasized.

"At CIFTIS, ASEAN firms could be exporting services into China under harmonized rules for data flows and professional standards. At CAEXPO, ASEAN and Chinese partners could be announcing co-investments in factories, labs and distribution hubs (and) not only one-off purchase orders," she said.