When Chinese made industrial robots in Thai factories accurately assemble new energy vehicle motors, and when Chinese power transmission and transformation equipment at the Philippine power grid renovation site runs stably, the electrical machinery industry between China and ASEAN is moving from simple trade to deep collaboration. By 2025, the scale of bilateral trade in mechanical and electrical products will continue to expand, with ASEAN maintaining its position as the largest export market for Chinese mechanical and electrical products. The growth rate of trade in green electrical and intelligent equipment products will lead the industry. Under the dual benefits of the continued effectiveness of RCEP and the promotion of the China ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0, the cooperation between the two sides has entered a stage of deep synergy.

Misaligned development among the eleven ASEAN countries

Xu Ningning introduced that the electrical machinery industry of the 11 ASEAN countries relies on their own resource endowments to form a differentiated and complementary development pattern. Singapore focuses on high-end research and development and precision electrical manufacturing; Malaysia is building an electronic and electrical industry cluster in Penang; Thailand has a mature home appliance, automotive and electrical industry chain; Indonesia focuses on new energy vehicles and power infrastructure; The scale of Vietnam's electronic assembly industry continues to expand; The Philippines is making every effort to promote the modernization of the power grid; Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar have strong demand for power transmission and transformation equipment. Multiple countries have introduced policies such as simplified foreign investment access and tax reductions, providing favorable conditions for overseas electrical and machinery enterprises to invest and layout.

Dual wheel drive of trade and investment

By 2025, integrated circuits, lithium batteries, photovoltaic modules, new energy vehicles, and power transmission and transformation equipment will become the main trade categories between China and ASEAN. More than 90% of electrical and mechanical products under RCEP have achieved zero tariffs, and the cumulative rules of origin have effectively reduced trade costs for enterprises. In the investment field, Chinese electrical machinery companies are accelerating their layout in the ASEAN market, while power equipment companies are deeply involved in power grid renovation projects in countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia; New energy vehicle companies cluster in Thailand; Leading photovoltaic energy storage companies are expanding their presence in Vietnam and Malaysia. The cooperation between the two parties has shifted from exporting a single product to a diversified model of capacity implementation, engineering construction, and technical cooperation. Keywords: the Belt and Road news, green appliances, intelligent equipment

Five suggestions to deepen cooperation

Xu Ningning put forward five suggestions: strengthen top-level collaboration in the industry and build a dedicated docking platform; Accelerate the integration of industry standards and promote mutual recognition of qualified assessments in the electrical field; Focus on the green and intelligent track, deepen precise cooperation in the electrical industry chain; Optimize the layout of cross-border supply chains and make precise use of the benefits of free trade policies; Establish a sound industry risk prevention and control system to ensure the compliant implementation and operation of electrical projects. He emphasized that with the deepening implementation of the China ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 and the acceleration of regional green and low-carbon transformation, both sides should focus on key areas such as photovoltaic energy storage, smart grids, and new energy vehicles, promote the implementation and effectiveness of practical cooperation projects, and work together to build a closer regional electrical industry chain and supply chain.Editor/Gao Xue