CCTV news: The reporter learned from the Ministry of Commerce that on the 28th, China and ASEAN signed the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Version 3.0 Upgrade Protocol in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Commerce said that after the signing of the protocol, both parties will carry out their respective approval procedures and promote the early entry into force of the protocol.

The 3.0 version of the upgraded protocol covers a total of 9 major areas, adding 5 new areas: digital economy, green economy, supply chain interconnection, competition and consumer protection, and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. It reflects the common will and actions of both parties to actively lead the formulation of international rules and promote cooperation in emerging fields. On the basis that market access for goods, services, and investment has reached a relatively high level of openness, Version 3.0 focuses on the areas of rules and cooperation, and promotes inclusive regional economic development by ensuring fair competition among enterprises, safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, supporting the development of small, medium and micro enterprises, and improving the performance capabilities of underdeveloped countries, so that enterprises and people in China and ASEAN countries can benefit from regional economic growth.

Lin Feng, Director of the International Department of the Ministry of Commerce, said: "The signing of the protocol reflects the two sides' firm support for multilateralism and free trade with practical actions, and sets an important example for countries to jointly resist unilateralism and protectionism and work together to respond to international economic and trade challenges. The signing of the protocol The book also marks that the free trade cooperation between the two sides will move towards a deeper level, which will help promote in-depth regional economic integration, jointly build an open, inclusive, rules-based regional integrated market, and effectively promote the construction of a China-ASEAN community with a shared future.”

The China-ASEAN Free Trade Area is the first free trade area negotiated and established by both parties. In 2002, the construction of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area began; in 2010, version 1.0 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area was fully completed; in 2019, the version 2.0 upgrade protocol was fully implemented. In 2022, negotiations for the version 3.0 upgrade will be launched, and negotiations for version 3.0 will not be fully completed until May this year.