As a substantial step towards a 1.7 billion-population free trade zone, China-ASEAN Expo has become a new platform of economic and trade cooperation acclaimed by governments and business people on both sides.

"I didn't expect our products would sell so well here," said Wang Jiahui, a Chinese woman working at the Malaysian booth. The gilded handicraft pieces from her firm have aroused keen interest among the Chinese audience and sold more than 20,000 yuan (about 2,400 US dollars) on the first day of the China-ASEAN Expo that opened Wednesday, Nov.3, in Nanning.

Wang is only one of the thousands of participants who benefit from the expo. Victorino P. Datuin from Philippines became delighted as he got some new business information on the first day of the expo.

Datuin said he found out at the exhibition booth of Yiwu that the little commodities there are very enticing, and that he is planning to organize a purchasers'group for Yiwu fair held every year in east China's Zhejiang Province.

China and the ASEAN countries have a long history of economic and trade cooperation. The ASEAN has been China's fifth largest trade partner for 11 consecutive years. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the volume of trade between them this year is likely to record a historic high of 100 billion US dollars.

As China and ASEAN countries have quickened their step towards the formation of the free trade zone, more and more businesses become eager to take a share in the huge market with a vast potential.

The expo organized specially for businesses from the two sides has offered a convenient passage for closer cooperation in trade and economy.

In a bid to draw more investors, many countries held special forums for self-promotion. Myanmar labeled itself as "Golden"in both Buddhist temples and business opportunities. The Philippines and Cambodia both staged new tourism projects to Chinese tourists.

Capitalizing on the opportunity of a summit meeting held during the expo, officials from ASEAN countries introduced their preferential policies and good environment for foreign investment at the summit.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen cordially invited Chinese enterprises to make investment in his country. With its entry into the World Trade Organization and the adoption of a range of ensuing policies, Cambodia will have a growing number of business opportunities, noted Hun Sen.

Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi said at the summit that China would continue to encourage its enterprises to invest in ASEAN nations and enlarge field of cooperation between the two sides.

Apart from traditional areas, she acknowledged, the Chinese government is ready to strengthen cooperation between the two sides in new, high-tech technologies, including bio-tech, remote control, seismology and research on tropic biologic resources.

China would also take substantial measures to expand China's imports from the ASEAN countries, added Wu.

She further noted that the China-ASEAN Expo and the summit meeting offered an essential platform for commodities transaction, trade negotiation, investment talks and economic and technological cooperation for businesses in both China and the ASEAN countries.

"Only when China and the ASEAN member nations seize the opportunity and enhance cooperation can the two sides succeed in acute global competition,"said the Chinese vice-premier.