China, ASEAN sign upgraded free trade agreement

The Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN and China have signed an upgrade to their free trade agreement, which is expected to include sections on digital, green economy and other new industries. The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations is China’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade totalling $771 billion last year, according to ASEAN statistics. China is seeking to intensify its engagement with ASEAN, a region with a collective gross domestic product of $3.8 trillion, to counter hefty import tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration on countries around the world.