- Leaders from ASEAN and China gathered at the sidelines of the 27th ASEAN – China Summit in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on 10 October 2024, to announce the substantial conclusion of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area(ACFTA) 3.0 Upgrade Negotiations.
- The ACFTA is a pivotal FTA for both ASEAN and China. Signed in 2002, it marks ASEAN’s first FTA with an external Dialogue Partner and China’s first FTA. ASEAN and China remain committed to ensuring the ACFTA stays relevant, future-ready, and responsive to global challenges. The ACFTA’s first upgrade in 2014 was signed in 2015 and entered into force for all ACFTA Parties since 2019, with improvements in the chapters of Rules of Origin, Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation, Investment, and Economic and Technical Cooperation, as well as Market Access for Services.
Download the full statement here.
