# Vice Premier Ding calls for higher-level China-ASEAN Free Trade Area

https://mins.news/en/item/63589

- CGTN, 2026-09-17 15:15 UTC
- Economy
- Original: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-09-17/Vice-Premier-Ding-calls-for-higher-level-China-ASEAN-Free-Trade-Area-1QweX0gsesw/p.html?UTM_Source=cgtn&UTM_Medium=rss&UTM_Campaign=World

> Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang urged the creation of a higher-level China-ASEAN Free Trade Area at the opening of the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning. He said implementing the CAFTA 3.0 Upgrade Protocol would boost regional economic development and called for expanded trade, investment, digital economy, AI and connectivity cooperation.

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- [23rd China-ASEAN Expo opens in Nanning](https://mins.news/en/item/63533) — China News Service, 2026-09-18