Trade between China and ASEAN countries reached 5.57 trillion yuan (about US$760 billion) in the first three quarters of 2025, a 9.6 per cent year-on-year increase, according to data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC). ASEAN accounted for 16.6 per cent of China's total foreign trade and remains its largest trading partner.
Lü Daliang, spokesperson for the GAC, said during a press conference in Beijing that ASEAN has been China's largest trading partner for agricultural products for eight consecutive years. In the first three quarters of this year, China's agricultural imports from ASEAN rose by 15.3 per cent, representing 19.1 per cent of total agricultural imports and making ASEAN the second-largest source of China's agricultural imports.
Fruit imports through the China-Laos Railway "golden corridor" increased by 37.8 per cent, allowing tropical fruit to reach Chinese markets more quickly and in better condition. Meanwhile, ASEAN continues to be China's largest export destination for agricultural products. During the same period, China's exports of citrus, lettuce, and other fresh produce to ASEAN recorded steady growth.
According to Lü, the full implementation of multilateral and bilateral free trade agreements between China and ASEAN members has strengthened regional agricultural cooperation. Tariff reductions and improved trade facilitation have supported greater market integration and supply chain efficiency in the fruit and vegetable sectors.
He noted that geographical proximity and cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative align with ASEAN's Master Plan on Connectivity 2025. Projects such as the China-Laos Railway have improved land transport routes for fresh produce, while maritime and air shipments have also expanded. In the first three quarters, China's fruit and vegetable trade with ASEAN via land transport increased by 21 per cent.
Since the establishment of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership in 2021, bilateral agricultural trade has continued to grow, with fruit and vegetable exchanges playing an increasingly important role. Negotiations on the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area have been completed, which, according to the GAC, will further facilitate agricultural trade and strengthen supply chain integration across the region.
Source: Global Times
