China-ASEAN Expo brings opportunities to businesses and individuals

People visit the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 20, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Wu Chaolan)

Visitors crowded exhibition halls at the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) in Nanning on Sept. 20, 2025, sampling regional foods and watching business representatives promote products in multiple languages. Many attendees left carrying shopping bags.

At the Vietnam pavilion, Fu Xiang, a representative of a Vietnamese slipper company, greeted customers at his busy booth.

"We've already signed deals with several supermarkets, and many customers are buying directly at the booth," said Fu. Holding up a pair of slippers, he recalled how loyal customers return year after year. "Some tell me they wore them until they were completely worn out. So, they come back to look for new styles," he said.

Fu has participated in the CAEXPO for 16 consecutive years. "When we first came, our only goal was to open the Chinese market. Now, we have regular customers who come back every year," he said.

He believes the expo has played an important role in helping Vietnamese enterprises gain visibility. "This event is truly excellent. It has greatly helped promote our products and strengthen China-Vietnam business exchanges," he said.

An exhibitor livestreams from his booth at the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, showcasing products to online audiences, Sept. 20, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Wu Chaolan)

"The scale keeps expanding, and with two days open to the public this year, the halls are more crowded," he said.

On the other side of the exhibition hall, Malaysian entrepreneur Suhaba was making her debut at the CAEXPO, carrying bottles of sambal chili paste from her hometown. She had not expected the spicy condiment to become an instant hit with Chinese visitors, who crowded around her booth to sample and buy.

"In just three days, we signed agreements with four Chinese companies, and the sambal paste sold out completely," she said with excitement.

"I'm grateful to the CAEXPO for giving me this chance to showcase our products. It opened my eyes to the potential of the Chinese market," she said. She plans to return with a wider range of Malaysian specialties next year.

Jennifer, a representative of a Cambodian food company, was also making her debut at the expo. Standing behind a booth with bags of dried mango, she was soon surrounded by visitors eager to sample the sweet snack.

"The turnout really exceeded our expectations," she said. "There are so many people here, and it's very clean, safe and accommodating in Nanning. We've met a lot of customers, and the response has been very encouraging."

For Jennifer, the Chinese market feels both vast and promising. "Chinese consumers really like dried mango, and we hope to bring even more Cambodian products here in the future," she said.

What impressed her most was the enthusiastic buyers and the diversity of exhibitors. "It's very useful for Southeast Asian countries to come together at this platform, exchange with one another, and help promote each other's products."

The CAEXPO attracts consumers as well as businesses. Pan Lin, a Nanning resident, shared Malaysian durian ice cream with her young son at one booth. She visits the expo every year to meet Southeast Asian vendors and buy authentic products.

"For us ordinary people, the expo is also a chance to connect and talk directly with traders from Southeast Asia. We can taste their food and learn about their cultures," Pan said.

As a regular visitor, she noticed that this year's expo felt different. "In the past, the highlights were mostly about food," she said. "But this year, there are many new elements, such as artificial intelligence, cultural tourism and more. It's not just about tasting delicious products anymore. I can also experience different countries' traditions, customs and innovations, all in one place."

Visitors play Go with an AI-powered robot at the AI pavilion of the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 20, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Wu Chaolan)

In the AI pavilion, Chen Qiushui and Tan Wenqian, both university students, tested their own digital avatars. For both of them, it was their first time at the CAEXPO, and what drew them here was the expo's growing focus on science and innovation.

"The biggest benefit is that it really broadens our horizons," Chen said. "Many of these frontier technologies are things we rarely have the chance to see in everyday life."

The Expo also gave them a deeper understanding of neighboring countries' cultures. The two wandered into the Indonesia pavilion, where a traditional dance performance caught their attention. "It was so beautiful," Tan said.

"Through the dance, you could feel the joy of the local people and the spirit of their culture. It made us realize how CAEXPO is not only about business, but also about connecting hearts and fostering mutual understanding between China and ASEAN countries."