The 10th China-South Asia Expo (CSAE) opened on June 11 at the Kunming Dianchi International Convention and Exhibition Center in Kunming, Yunnan Province.
Buyers from over 60 countries and regions poured into the venue, where Hindi, Urdu, Nepali and other languages mixed with Chinese to create a vibrant buzz.
The expo originated from the South Asian Countries Commodities Fair, first held in 2007, and was upgraded to a national-level exhibition in 2013. Looking back on the 10 editions of the event, quiet yet profound changes have taken place.
The most visible change is in the venue. The first CSAE had only 50,000 square meters of indoor exhibition space. Starting from the third edition, the expo moved to the Kunming Dianchi International Convention and Exhibition Center, which offers about 300,000 square meters of floor space, enough to accommodate thousands of exhibitors.
This increased capacity has laid the groundwork for a rapidly expanding “circle of friends” among participants. “I have attended the CSAE six times, and I can see it getting bigger and bigger with each edition,” said Hanif Ahsan, a Pakistani exhibitor.
While the first CSAE was dominated by participants from South Asian countries, this year’s event has attracted exhibitors from over 60 countries, regions and international organizations.
For the first time, all member states of South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are represented, marking a record high in international participation.
The focus of industries on display has also shifted quietly. “I remember that in the early years, the exhibits were mostly textiles, fruits and handicrafts,” said Li Xingwen, a veteran journalist who has covered all 10 editions of the expo.
Today, the scene is completely different: drones, photovoltaic modules, new energy vehicles, biomedicine and other high-tech products are making frequent appearances.
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The impact of the CSAE has extended far beyond participation and investment. This year’s expo has set up a service trade hall as its core pavilion for the first time, and the zone offering support for companies going global and for cross-border e‑commerce has drawn many exhibitors seeking information.
Also debuting at the 10th CSAE is a procurement matchmaking center, which provides one‑stop services from initial contact to contract signing.
The event’s supporting activities have also changed beyond recognition. What started as a simple trade fair now features, alongside the main expo, events such as the 2026 International Public Procurement Conference for the South Asian Markets , the South Asia Commodity (Tea) Festival , and the Shanhai Youth Civilization Dialogue.
The scope and depth of policy communication, industry dialogue and cultural exchange have been greatly enhanced.
Another transformation lies in the mode of participation: from offline to “cloud-based.” In 2022, the CSAE adopted a dual online‑offline model to enable regular economic and trade dialogue and cooperation. This year, it has introduced an innovative “virtual booth + on‑site experience” hybrid model for the first time.
The warm current of people-to-people exchange has been steadily growing: an education cooperation zone, a tourism pavilion, the 1st South Asia and Southeast Asia Online Content Creators Conference.
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Over the past 10 editions, the cultural and people-to-people exchange activities at the CSAE have continued to diversify, building ever broader bridges of mutual understanding.
From 2007 to the present, bilateral trade between China and South Asian countries has more than quadrupled . At a previous press conference, Wang Liping, Director General of the Department of Asian Affairs of MOFCOM, said the CSAE “has played an indispensable role” in this achievement.
The transformation of trade routes has been particularly critical in supporting this growth. The completion of the China-Laos Railway, the densification of cross-border logistics networks, and the continuous improvement of customs clearance services—building on these routes, the Lancang-Mekong Cross-border Economic Cooperation Matchmaking Event and the China (Yunnan)–South Asia and Southeast Asia Cross-border E-commerce Matchmaking Event have become major highlights of the 10th CSAE.
All these changes have ultimately converged into a shift in the expo’s overall caliber: from a regional exhibition to a comprehensive international event that covers South Asia and Southeast Asia and radiates outward to the rest of the world.
Yet, at the end of the day, one thing about the CSAE has never changed: making it easier for everyone to do business and bringing countries closer together.
Established in December 2008, The Diplomatic Insight is Pakistan’s premier diplomacy and foreign affairs magazine, available in both digital and print formats.
