Trade with ASEAN economies sees good progress

Cross-border e-commerce between China and ASEAN economies is surging, as more Chinese consumers are developing a taste for exotic food that are less commonly seen on tables and an ongoing need for online shopping.

"Cross-border e-commerce trade is set to see a year-on-year growth of 50 percent in 2018 from last year," said Zhao Ping, director of the international trade research department under the Academy of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

There has also been a flurry of investments in the sector. Tech giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, for instance, acquired Lazada Group and invested in Tokopedia, two major players in the ASEAN region. Internet giant Tencent has invested in e-commerce group Shopec.