Ge Hongliang, deputy director of the College of ASEAN Studies at Guangxi University for Nationalities, told the Global Times that Chinese people"s perceptions of China-ASEAN relations are shaped by two main factors. First, consider the broader context of major-power competition and the regional landscape. In building industrial resilience centered on ASEAN, for example, ASEAN members are cooperating with partners beyond China in sectors such as semiconductors, and Southeast Asia has become a focal point of great-power rivalry over critical minerals like rare earths. Second, in the South China Sea, frequent frictions near Ren"ai Jiao and Huangyan Dao also affect Chinese views.

　　Ge pointed out that overall, apart from China-Philippines relations, ties between China and other ASEAN members - particularly the building of the China-ASEAN community with a shared future - have remained stable and on an upward trajectory, with tangible progress made in areas such as the upgrade of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA).

　　Economic and trade cooperation tops expectations

　　A view of Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center, the permanent venue for the China-ASEAN Expo, in Nanning, South China"s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Photo: VCG