10th China-South Asia Expo to Open in Kunming June 11-16
The 10th China-South Asia Expo (CSAE) will be held from June 11 to 16 in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, Chinese officials announced at a press conference on Friday. Co-hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce and the Yunnan Provincial Government, the milestone edition aims to deepen trade and economic cooperation between China and South Asian nations at a time when bilateral trade is surging.
A Decade of Trade Growth
China-South Asia trade exceeded $200 billion in 2025, up 10.7% year-on-year, and has continued to accelerate with 15.8% growth in the first four months of 2026, according to Xinhua News Agency. China is now the largest trading partner of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
Wang Liping, Director General of the Department of Asian Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce, noted that China and South Asian countries represent a “huge market of three billion people, with a combined GDP accounting for 20 percent of the global total,” adding that the expo “provides a platform to unleash the great potential for cooperation.”
Record Participation and New Features
This year’s expo has drawn over 60 countries and regions, with full coverage of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and RCEP member states, according to China News Service. More than 1,000 professional buyers have registered, with over 67% from overseas. Notably, 36 countries — including Germany, Brazil, and Egypt — are participating in procurement for the first time.
A major innovation is the first-ever Procurement Matching Center, designed to facilitate direct supply-demand matchmaking. Seven embassies and consulates, including those of Italy, Uruguay, and Australia, will debut as national exhibition groups, signaling the expo’s expanding global reach beyond South Asia.
Free Booths and Pavilion Highlights
Yunnan Vice-Governor Liu Yong announced that the expo will provide nearly 800 free exhibition booths for South Asian countries, helping them promote specialty products such as textile handicrafts, jewelry, and jade into Yunnan and across China. The exhibition area spans 130,000 to 150,000 square meters across 13 pavilions, covering trade in services, green energy, manufacturing, biomedicine and healthcare, culture and tourism, sports, and agriculture.
Bangladesh is this year’s theme country, while Laos serves as the specially invited partner country. Bangladesh’s Ambassador to China, Md. Nazmul Islam, said the country would use the expo to showcase its economic potential, diverse culture, and export products, as reported by China Daily.
Historical Context
The China-South Asia Exposition originated from the South Asian Countries Trade Fair, first held in Beijing in 2007. Since moving to Kunming in 2008, the event has grown exponentially alongside bilateral trade, which expanded from just $5.7 billion in 2000 to over $200 billion today, according to historical data from Wikipedia. The inaugural expo in 2013 drew 35 delegations from approximately 30 countries and generated $17.5 billion in foreign trade.
Past editions have seen high-level participation from Chinese leaders including Vice Presidents and Vice Premiers. The 2023 edition, attended by then-Foreign Minister Wang Yi, concluded deals worth $56.1 billion. The 2025 edition saw 163 commercial contracts signed worth RMB 8.3 billion.
Strategic Significance
The expo, which coincides with the 30th China Kunming Import and Export Fair, is the only structured trade show in China specifically targeting South Asian nations. It forms a key part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative strategy, with Yunnan positioned as a gateway to South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region.
Vice Commerce Minister Yan Dong outlined China’s vision for future cooperation, stating that Beijing will “further enhance the level of trade liberalization and facilitation, deepen industrial and supply chain cooperation with South Asian countries, and explore cooperation potential in emerging fields like cross-border e-commerce, green development, environmental protection, digital economy and biomedicine.”
Looking Ahead
As the expo enters its second decade, the event has evolved from a regional trade fair into a major international platform. The participation of 92 Fortune Global 500 and industry-leading enterprises underscores its growing stature. Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, noted that 2026 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Pakistan and China, expressing hope the expo could further upgrade bilateral trade and deepen investment cooperation.
With trade momentum accelerating and new institutional innovations like the Procurement Matching Center, the 10th China-South Asia Expo is poised to set new benchmarks for regional economic integration. The event runs from June 11 to 16 at the Kunming Dianchi International Convention and Exhibition Center.