China and ASEAN Sign FTA 3.0 — A New Era of Digital & Green Trade

🌏 Asia steps forward as the engine of global growth

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have signed the ASEAN–China Free Trade Agreement 3.0,

an upgraded pact expanding cooperation in digital economy, green development, and supply-chain integration.

The signing took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 28, 2025.

 

The deal marks a strategic modernization of Asia’s trade framework — shifting the focus from tariff cuts to innovation, sustainability, and digital connectivity.

 

📊 Key Highlights

- New rules for cross-border E-commerce and data security

- Joint investment frameworks in clean energy and carbon reduction

- Support for SMEs to access regional markets

- A more resilient ASEAN–China supply chain

Trade between China and ASEAN reached 5.57 trillion yuan (≈ US$783 billion) in the first nine months of 2025, up 9.6 % year-on-year — a clear sign that Asia remains the world’s growth engine.

 

⚡ TrendPro Insight

“FTA 3.0 is not just about trade — it’s a statement of global power.

As the West slows, Asia is quietly rewriting the rules of growth.”

 

Market implications for traders:

- Possible CNY and THB strength in the medium term

- Rising fund flows into Asian equities, particularly China and Indonesia

- Green energy and digital-trade themes are set to dominate 2026