Artificial intelligence is becoming a key driver for deepening economic and technological ties between China and ASEAN countries. As reported by GlobeNewswire on June 3, 2025, AI-powered innovations are actively transforming customs procedures, logistics, and e-commerce in the region, fostering closer integration. At the "Friendship Pass," China's largest land port bordering ASEAN nations, AI systems are already used for efficient cargo scanning, significantly reducing processing times and human intervention. Specialized gadgets with AI navigation and safety tips have been developed for truck drivers, and companies like Guangxi Daring Technology Co., Ltd. are creating advanced AI translation models to overcome language barriers with ASEAN languages, such as Vietnamese. A common AI infrastructure is also actively being formed: the China-Laos AI Innovation Cooperation Center and the China-Malaysia Innovation Center have been established, the latter with a special focus on blockchain, robotics, and digital identity recognition systems. China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is ambitiously positioning itself as a leading AI hub for the entire ASEAN region, developing large-scale projects such as the "Wuxiang Cloud Valley" AI Computing Industrial Park, offering AI development services and computing power leasing. Analysts see this not only as a practical benefit for simplifying trade procedures but also as an element of China's "AI diplomacy" aimed at creating a technologically interconnected economic bloc. This, in turn, brings to the fore issues of cross-border data flow governance and the potential technological dependence of ASEAN countries on Chinese AI solutions and standards.
AI Deepens China-ASEAN Economic Ties Through Trade and Tech Innovation
