At the loading area of Cuori Electrical Appliances in Ningbo, five container trucks filled with steam irons and vacuum cleaners departed for Indonesia—marking the company’s fourth such shipment to Southeast Asia in August alone.

Cuori’s exports to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations rose by 46.8 percent year-on-year to 88.81 million yuan (approximately US $12.4 million) in the first seven months of 2025, according to Ningbo Customs.

“Amid growing pressure from U.S. tariffs on global manufacturers, we've intensified our overseas expansion, focusing on the Southeast Asian market,” said Li Guangze, the company’s financial director.

He noted that rising urbanisation, a burgeoning middle-income cohort, and Gen Z’s increased purchasing power—combined with sustained demand for reliable, affordable appliances—have made ASEAN one of Cuori’s fastest-growing export destinations.

This trend reflects broader dynamics.

Between January and July, China–ASEAN trade climbed by 9.4 percent year-on-year, reaching 4.29 trillion yuan and accounting for 16.7 percent of China's total trade, according to customs data.

In the first quarter, ASEAN remained China’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade totaling 1.71 trillion yuan—a 7.1 percent increase.

High-tech trade has also surged: exports of advanced products—including machine tools and electric vehicles—contributed 45.4 percent of China's foreign trade growth in the first seven months, reaching 5.1 trillion yuan, an 8.4 percent increase.

Expert observers highlight the role of enhanced regional cooperation frameworks.

Negotiations for Version 3.0 of the China–ASEAN Free Trade Area have concluded, with the upgraded agreement set to cover the digital and green economies, supply chain connectivity, and economic-technical cooperation.

It is expected to be formally signed by year’s end.

Meanwhile, broader RCEP arrangements and infrastructure developments—such as the China–Laos Railway, which handled over 3 million metric tonnes of goods in the first half of the year—are further bolstering trade integration.

Major ASEAN export categories to China include rubber, palm oil, seafood, timber, coal, and manufactured electronics and medical supplies.

In the other direction, China continues to ship electronics, telecommunications equipment, vehicles, machinery, and household appliances.

Several firms, including power equipment manufacturers, are now expanding locally to tap into this growth.

For instance, Agg Power Technology from Fuzhou saw a 41 percent year-on-year increase in ASEAN-bound exports, reaching 147 million yuan.

China is also rerouting exports to the U.S. through Southeast Asian intermediaries—flows via Vietnam rose 30 percent, and via Indonesia by 25 percent—responding to shifting trade dynamics and U.S. tariffs.

Overall, the region’s expanding middle class, infrastructure projects, and evolving trade architecture are reinforcing ASEAN’s role as China’s most dynamic trade partner and affirming deeper economic interdependence across the region.