Defending free trade, China and ASEAN launch e-commerce platform

World Today

China and ASEAN countries launched a cross-border e-commerce platform on Wednesday. It is expected to assist with free trade in Asia. And it comes as much of the world witnesses rising trade protectionism and anti-globalization.

CCTV’s Han Peng reports.

Linking one of the world’s busiest trade areas, the China-ASEAN e-commerce platform is expected to make cross-border trade much easier.

Officials from ASEAN countries said the platform will help their countries increase exports to China. 

Many people in China love the fruits from Southeast Asia, but many analysts said China has a much bigger agenda behind the e-commerce platform, which is supporting free trade. 

A Trump victory in the United States and the U.K.’s Brexit referendum to leave the EU, show the rising trend of trade protectionism. 

Some said it’s because small businesses don’t get the same benefits from global trade as big multinationals. 

China is urging world leaders to resist protectionism, and instead look for innovative solutions to the problem. 

This year’s G20 Summit approved a China-backed plan to build an e-commerce platform that is hoped will eventually cover the entire world, the very first step to an ambitious global e-commerce platform, in defense of free and open trade.