In trade, since China became the first countries to finalize a free trade agreement with ASEAN in 2009, trade between china and the region has grown significantly. In 2013, China was ASEAN’s biggest trade partner while ASEAN was China’s third biggest partner.
In an investment, China is an increasing flows into ASEAN prove that it sees the region as and one. For instance Chinese companies are opening up manufacturing plant across Indonesia in order to capitalised on its rich commodities base and low-wage labor force. They are also investing in infrastructure such as ports, telecoms and transportation, allowing them to export these goods elsewhere or simply ship them back to China.