01. The Chinese mainland contributes the biggest share in the Philippines June total external trade

Aug. 5, 2020 (Xinhua) — The Chinese mainland contributed the biggest share in the Philippines total external trade in goods in June 2020, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said. According to the PSA, the countrys total external trade in goods in June 2020 shrank at an annual rate of 19.9% at US$ 11.97 billion and the Chinese mainland contributed the highest export value. By major trading partners, the PSA said exports to the Chinese mainland comprised the highest value amounting to US$ 891.58 million or 16.7% during the month.

02. Regional integration project on track

Aug. 6, 2020 (China Daily) — China and its Southeast Asian neighbors are fully aware of the importance of maintaining regional peace and promoting economic cooperation. The recently concluded 36th ASEAN Summit projected the commitment of ASEAN and its partner economies to signing the RCEP agreement later this year. This is positive news amid the dire situation the world is facing due to the pandemic. East Asian leaders realized that greater economic integration was necessary to defend the region against global economic turbulence.

03. First cargo route from Quanzhou to Malaysia now operational

Aug. 6, 2020 (China Daily) — A flight loaded with 10,898 kilograms of goods departed from Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport in Fujian Provinces Quanzhou City on Aug. 5, bound for Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysias Sabah State. The trip marked the opening of the first direct cargo route between Quanzhou and Malaysia. Operated by Xiamen Airlines, the route is scheduled for every Wednesday and Saturday. Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport will work to expand cargo routes and strengthen the positive relationship between the air freight industry and local cross-border E-commerce companies.

04. NW Chinas Shaanxi sees trade with ASEAN up in H1

Aug. 10, 2020 (Xinhua) — The trade volume of northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province with ASEAN countries rose 66.3% year-on-year in the first half of the year to RMB 19.33 billion yuan (about US$ 2.77 billion). ASEAN countries have become important markets for Shaanxi enterprises in terms of foreign investment and project contracting. Shaanxi has also become a destination for foreign investment, with ASEAN countries having set up 266 companies in its provincial capital Xian, and investment totaling nearly US$ 5.76 billion.

05. Railroad network to boost economic ties with ASEAN

Aug. 11, 2020 (China Daily) — With ASEAN increasingly becoming Chinas key trading partner and construction of the China-Laos Railway seeing notable progress this year, experts predicted that more freight train services will be operated between China and ASEAN over the next decade. The first international freight train from the Yangtze River Delta region to ASEAN gets ready for its departure from Haian, Jiangsu Province, to Vietnam in May. The COVID-19 has not only boosted the vitality of the China-Europe freight train service, but also stimulated trade and railroad transportation volume between China and ASEAN.

06. 14.5-km tunnel on China-Laos railway drilled through

Aug. 12, 2020 (Xinhua) — A 14.5-km tunnel on the Kunming-Vientiane Railway to link China with Laos has been bored through. The construction of the 1,000-km railway started in December 2016, which is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2021. The cross-border railway, a major project built under the Belt and Road Initiative, will slash the travel time between Kunming and Vientiane to half a day. By the end of July 2020, all the subgrade earthwork, over 90% of the bridges and over 95% of the tunnels on the domestic section of the China-Laos Railway had been completed.

07. Brunei receives more anti-COVID-19 donations from China

Aug. 12, 2020 (Xinhua) — Bruneis Ministry of Religious Affairs received medical material donations from the Chinese Embassy in Brunei for the fight against the COVID-19. The medical materials included disposable masks for both adults and children, and hand sanitizer. Yu Hong, Chinese Ambassador to Brunei, and Haji Awang Badaruddin, Bruneis Minister of Religious Affairs, attended the handover ceremony, as both sides exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in containing the COVID-19. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, China and Brunei have helped each other and responded together, deepening the friendship and strategic partnership.

08. Implementing outcomes of Cambodia-China high-level meeting to promote Cambodias development amid the COVID-19

Aug. 12, 2020 (Xinhua) — Implementing outcomes of the recently-concluded meeting of the Cambodia-China Intergovernmental Coordination Committee will promote Cambodias development and inject new impetus to the community of a shared future between the two countries. Held in mid-June via video conference, the 5th meeting of the Cambodia-China Intergovernmental Coordination Committee was co-chaired by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The two sides also agreed to hold an event on trade and investment at an appropriate time.