1. Chinese FM meets ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi vowing to strengthen ties

Jul. 12, 2022 (Xinhua) — Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi, with both sides promising to strengthen ties. Wang made the remarks at the meeting that China and ASEAN are each other’s largest trading partner, and China has always made ASEAN a foreign policy priority, supported the development and growth of ASEAN, and the ASEAN Community building. Wang said China-ASEAN cooperation has shown vitality and has made the region the safest and most promising for development.

2. RCEP deepens Sino-ASEAN economic,trade ties

Jul. 6, 2022 (Xinhua) — The RCEP agreement, the world’s largest free-trade deal to date, came into force on the first day of 2022. Since then, it has brought tangible dividends to economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN countries.The deep link between trade and industry has directly driven the substantial growth of cross-border freight volume in China and ASEAN. Data from the General Administration of Customs show that in the first five months, the total trade value between China and ASEAN reached 2.37 trillion yuan, up 8.1% year-on-year.China and ASEAN continue to be each other’s largest trading partners.

3. Laos, ASEAN discuss ways to attract more visitors

Jul. 6, 2022 (Xinhua) — The Lao authorities held talks with other ASEAN countries to share ideas on ways to attract more visitors and make them feel welcome. Authorities in ASEAN will work with dialogue partners and international organizations to strengthen tourism and make it easier for tourists to travel. This will include the development of diversified tourism products,marketing campaigns, improvement of tourism standards and connectivity, and the use of more digital systems to provide tourists with easier access to information.

4. China-ASEAN Expo establishes exhibition area for RCEP members

Jul. 7, 2022 (Xinhua) — The 19thChina-ASEAN Expo, slated to be held from September 16 to 19 in Nanning, capital of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, will establish an exhibition area for RCEP. Companies and agencies from RCEP member states such as the Republic of Korea and Japan have confirmed their participation in the expo, according to Shi Zuyao,Deputy Secretary-General of the expo secretariat. ASEAN members such as Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Brunei have begun arranging their booths.

5. Flight from Chongqing to Bangkok resume

Jul. 13, 2022 (China Daily) — The regular passenger flights between Chongqing and Bangkok, Thailand, resumed at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport after being suspended for nearly two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The flights are currently scheduled for once a week and operated by Thai Smile, a subsidiary of national flag carrier Thai Airways. The route is the fourth regular international and regional passenger route opened for the municipality this year. The airport is planning to add more international passenger flights to help boost the economy.

6. Cambodia’s rubber export up 3% in first half of 2022

Jul. 13, 2022 (Xinhua) — Cambodia exported 135,137 tons of dry rubber in the first half of 2022, up 3% over the same period last year, said a General Directorate of Rubber report on July 13. The Southeast Asian nation exports the commodity mainly to Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, and China. Cambodia has so far planted rubber trees on a total area of 404,044 hectares, in which the trees on 310,193 hectares, or 77%, are old enough to be tapped.

7. China, Singapore renew currency swap deal

Jul. 15, 2022 (China Daily) — China’s Central Bank said on July 14 that it had renewed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. The deal has a size of 300 billion yuan (about US$ 44.6 billion), or 65 billion Singapore dollars. It will be valid for five years, according to the People’s Bank of China. The PBOC said that the renewal would help deepen bilateral financial cooperation, facilitate trade and investment, and maintain the stability of the financial market.

8. China’s Hubei sees foreign trade up 18.4% in H1

Jul. 17, 2022 (China Daily) — Wuhan, central China’s Hubei province saw its foreign trade exceed 290.91 billion yuan(about US$ 43.1 billion) in the first half of 2022, a yearon-year increase of 18.4%, according to local customs.Hubei’s trade with ASEAN topped 43.11 billion yuan in the first half of the year, accounting for 14.8% of the province’s total. Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand are the three ASEAN members with the highest trade volumes with Hubei,respectively occupying 24.2%, 19.1%, and 15.7% of the province’s total trade with the ASEAN.