The Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN and China on Tuesday signed an upgrade to their free trade agreement, which is expected to include sections on digital, green economy and other new industries.
The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations is China's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade totaling $771 billion last year, according to ASEAN statistics.
China is seeking to intensify its engagement with ASEAN, a region with a collective gross domestic product of $3.8 trillion, to counter hefty import tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on countries around the world.
Beijing has been seeking to position itself as a more open economy, despite criticism from other major powers of its expanding export restrictions on rare earths and other critical minerals.
The so-called 3.0 version of the free trade agreement with ASEAN was signed into effect at a summit of the bloc's leaders in Malaysia, which Trump attended on Sunday at the start of his trip through Asia.
Negotiations on the upgraded ASEAN-China deal began in November 2022 and concluded in May this year, just after Trump's tariff offensive kicked into gear.
China has previously said the agreement would pave the way for improved market access in sectors such as agriculture, the digital economy and pharmaceuticals between China and ASEAN.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 28 October, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Lawyers for former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro on Monday filed an appeal to reduce his 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup to remain in power after the 2022 presidential election.
Ukraine targeted Moscow with drone attacks for the second night in row, the Russian defence ministry and Moscow's mayor said on Tuesday.
Israel said on Monday that the Red Cross had handed over the body of another deceased hostage from Gaza to the Israeli military, according to a statement by the Israeli prime minister's office.
U.S. President Donald Trump lavished praise on Japan's first female leader Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Tuesday, welcoming her pledge to accelerate a military buildup and signing deals on trade and critical minerals.
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