Vietnamese truckers, equipped with AI-enhanced devices for navigation and safety, are smoothly entering China through the Friendship Pass in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

This scenario highlights the growing integration of technology into trade, as Southeast Asian live streamers work at an e-commerce park, producing speech data to enhance AI translation models for ASEAN languages.

As trade between China and ASEAN deepens, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a key driver of economic engagement, altering various industries within the region.

The Friendship Pass, recognized as the largest land port between China and ASEAN, has undergone significant transformation in customs and port operations due to AI implementation.

At a bonded distribution center in Guangxi, advanced AI cameras are deployed to monitor cargo, allowing for real-time risk assessment and improving operational efficiency.

Liang Baoming, head of the smart port project, explained that AI technology has drastically reduced the need for human resources, allowing one worker to manage tasks previously requiring an entire team.

This trend reflects the broader impacts of AI across transport and logistics sectors in the region.

In a command center managed by Guangxi Beitou IT Innovation Technology Investment Group Co., Ltd. in Nanning, a sophisticated AI risk management platform oversees interactions between support staff and truckers.

The system, operational since June, helps monitor driver fatigue and provides real-time alerts, improving safety for the 5,000 trucks and 10,000 drivers engaged in cross-border logistics.

The application of AI is part of Guangxi's strategy to enhance trade frameworks with ASEAN countries, facilitating optimizations in logistics and boosting connectivity.

Beitou has developed various products targeting ASEAN needs, including innovative solutions for integrated transportation and cross-border services.

This year, Guangxi Daring Technology Co., Ltd. introduced an AI translation model tailored for ASEAN languages, promising to enhance accessibility to language technologies for regional users.

This specific model offers faster and more precise translations than generic counterparts, catering to the linguistic needs of underrepresented languages in the ASEAN area.

China's commitment to strengthen AI collaboration with ASEAN was notably exemplified by the establishment of the China-Laos AI Innovation Cooperation Center in early 2025, marking a significant partnership in technology development between the two regions.

The initiative aims to enhance Laos's technology foundations across various industries.

Additionally, Guangxi recently signed partnerships to launch the China-Malaysia AI Innovation Center, which focuses on exploring blockchain and robotics applications.

This center aims to facilitate mutual recognition systems for digital identities, promoting smoother transactions between citizens of both nations.

In March 2025, the Wuxiang Cloud Valley AI Intelligent Computing Industrial Park was launched in Nanning, aimed at advancing comprehensive AI developments.

The park will work on various fronts, including AI computing power, service platforms, and algorithm innovations, with a focus on cross-border resource sharing within the ASEAN framework.

Guangxi's ambition to emerge as an AI hub for ASEAN is supported by extensive partnerships and collaborations with leading firms to foster a regional ecosystem of innovation.

The construction of the China-ASEAN AI Innovation Cooperation Center serves as a focal point for developing AI applications across diverse sectors, drawing global and local businesses to explore partnerships in education, tourism, and data governance.

With a vision for building a network of AI industrial parks, Guangxi officials anticipate producing over 100 billion yuan (approximately 13.9 billion USD) in AI-related industries by 2027, positioning the region as a significant contributor to AI advancements within ASEAN.