China and ASEAN Finalize CAFTA 3.0 Negotiations Amid Boosted Foreign Investment
The completion of CAFTA 3.0 negotiations highlights bilateral commitment to free trade as over 18,000 foreign-invested enterprises establish operations in China.
BEIJING, May 23 -- The Chinese foreign ministry announced on Friday that China and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member states have concluded negotiations on the Version 3.0 upgrade of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA).
This development has been characterized as a significant boost for free trade and open cooperation in the region.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning expressed that this milestone reflects the steadfast positions of both parties in favor of economic globalization and multilateralism, promoting mutual prosperity and development.
In a related economic update, data from the Ministry of Commerce revealed that during the first four months of 2025, China saw the establishment of 18,832 new foreign-invested enterprises, marking a year-on-year growth of 12.1 percent.
However, foreign direct investment (FDI) in actual terms fell to 320.78 billion yuan (approximately 44.6 billion U.S. dollars), representing a decrease of 10.9 percent from the previous year.
The sectors witnessing the highest actual use of FDI included the manufacturing and services industries, which accounted for 84.06 billion yuan and 231.25 billion yuan, respectively.
High-tech industries garnered significant investments, with actual FDI reaching 96.71 billion yuan.
Notable increases were observed in various sectors, including e-commerce services, which reported a 137 percent rise, aerospace equipment manufacturing at 86.2 percent, and chemical pharmaceutical manufacturing at 57.8 percent.
Investments from ASEAN countries during this period surged by 42.9 percent year-over-year, alongside increases from other nations such as Japan (74.2 percent), Switzerland (68.4 percent), and the United Kingdom (54.6 percent).
Parallel to these developments, China's expanding economic ties with Latin America were underscored by the significant growth of cross-border e-commerce.
A cargo route, active since April of last year, has facilitated the shipment of goods to Latin America, accumulating around 2 billion yuan (approximately 278.1 million U.S. dollars) in trade over the last 12 months.
The route is expected to further enhance economic interactions between China and Latin America.
At the ongoing China-CEEC Expo in Ningbo, officials noted increasing cooperation and investment from Central and Eastern Europe, highlighting China's commitment to fostering industrial partnerships and economic ties.
China’s investment in this region surpassed $24 billion recently, showing a shift to practical outcomes from earlier policy discussions.
Amid these expanding economic initiatives, China's home appliance market recorded a notable upswing, with over 34 million consumers participating in a government-supported trade-in program.
This initiative drove sales across 12 appliance categories to 174.5 billion yuan (24.27 billion U.S. dollars).
The dynamics of trade are also evolving, with a prominent summit in Beijing gathering global business leaders to discuss the importance of digital cooperation for mutual development and economic growth.
A series of meetings involving US business leaders and Chinese officials highlighted ongoing commitments to foster long-term investment and collaboration, even amidst global economic fluctuations.
This development has been characterized as a significant boost for free trade and open cooperation in the region.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning expressed that this milestone reflects the steadfast positions of both parties in favor of economic globalization and multilateralism, promoting mutual prosperity and development.
In a related economic update, data from the Ministry of Commerce revealed that during the first four months of 2025, China saw the establishment of 18,832 new foreign-invested enterprises, marking a year-on-year growth of 12.1 percent.
However, foreign direct investment (FDI) in actual terms fell to 320.78 billion yuan (approximately 44.6 billion U.S. dollars), representing a decrease of 10.9 percent from the previous year.
The sectors witnessing the highest actual use of FDI included the manufacturing and services industries, which accounted for 84.06 billion yuan and 231.25 billion yuan, respectively.
High-tech industries garnered significant investments, with actual FDI reaching 96.71 billion yuan.
Notable increases were observed in various sectors, including e-commerce services, which reported a 137 percent rise, aerospace equipment manufacturing at 86.2 percent, and chemical pharmaceutical manufacturing at 57.8 percent.
Investments from ASEAN countries during this period surged by 42.9 percent year-over-year, alongside increases from other nations such as Japan (74.2 percent), Switzerland (68.4 percent), and the United Kingdom (54.6 percent).
Parallel to these developments, China's expanding economic ties with Latin America were underscored by the significant growth of cross-border e-commerce.
A cargo route, active since April of last year, has facilitated the shipment of goods to Latin America, accumulating around 2 billion yuan (approximately 278.1 million U.S. dollars) in trade over the last 12 months.
The route is expected to further enhance economic interactions between China and Latin America.
At the ongoing China-CEEC Expo in Ningbo, officials noted increasing cooperation and investment from Central and Eastern Europe, highlighting China's commitment to fostering industrial partnerships and economic ties.
China’s investment in this region surpassed $24 billion recently, showing a shift to practical outcomes from earlier policy discussions.
Amid these expanding economic initiatives, China's home appliance market recorded a notable upswing, with over 34 million consumers participating in a government-supported trade-in program.
This initiative drove sales across 12 appliance categories to 174.5 billion yuan (24.27 billion U.S. dollars).
The dynamics of trade are also evolving, with a prominent summit in Beijing gathering global business leaders to discuss the importance of digital cooperation for mutual development and economic growth.
A series of meetings involving US business leaders and Chinese officials highlighted ongoing commitments to foster long-term investment and collaboration, even amidst global economic fluctuations.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
