Nearly $60 billion worth of deals have been signed at the 19th China-ASEAN Expo and Investment Summit in the southern China city of Nanning. The deals involve over 260 projects, most of which are in the areas of high-end metal new materials, modern agriculture, environmental protection, and machinery and equipment manufacturing. This year marks the first year since China and ASEAN upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. It is also the first year that the world's largest free trade agreement, RCEP, has come into effect. The China-ASEAN Expo has become a major platform for cooperation among members of the RCEP.