China commits to importing more fruit and vegetables from ASEAN countries

Chinese president Xi Jinping has unveiled initiatives aimed at boosting economic cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which should see imports of tropical fruits from the region reach US$23.5bn over the next five years, meaning volumes will almost double, with tropical fruits set to be the main beneficiary.

In 2018, China US$2.8bn worth of agricultural products from ASEAN members, according to data released by China’s agriculture ministry. China’s demand for fruit from these countries has continued to increase in recent months. From January to August, total China-ASEAN fruit and vegetable trade was already close to the full-year level of 2020.