2025.09.0823:12:38UTC+00China Pushes for ASEAN Trade Pact Upgrade by Year-End

China is pressing for the completion of an enhanced free trade agreement with ASEAN by the end of the year to bolster exports in response to increasing U.S. tariffs. Negotiations, which concluded in May, aim to broaden market access in sectors such as agriculture, the digital economy, and pharmaceuticals. By doing so, Beijing is striving to present itself as a "more open" economy, in contrast to the trade restrictions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Vice Commerce Minister Yan Dong highlighted that "in the face of unilateralism and protectionism, China and ASEAN have consistently advocated for multilateral cooperation." In August, Chinese exports to ASEAN rose by 22.5% year-on-year, reaching USD 57.1 billion, as opposed to a 33.1% decline in exports to the U.S. Both ASEAN and China are participants in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), although analysts perceive it to be less ambitious than the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which China is seeking to join. The CPTPP, comprising 11 nations, is regarded as a high-standard agreement, particularly in areas such as e-commerce and regulatory alignment.