The China-South Asia Expo (CSAE) provides growth opportunities for businesses and enhanced regional trade, officials, experts and exhibitors from China and South Asian countries said in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Thursday.

Co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Yunnan provincial government, the 10th CSAE is being held in Kunming from Thursday to Tuesday. The event has attracted approximately 560 companies from South Asian countries to participate as exhibitors.

Bangladesh is the theme country of this year's expo. Kayser Kamal, deputy speaker of the 13th National Parliament of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, said that having Bangladesh as the theme country reflects the depth and warmth of the friendship between the two nations.

Bangladesh has set up 84 standard booths and a 360-square-meter pavilion to showcase its offerings, with participation from over 100 companies across seven major industries, making it the largest national exhibition Bangladesh has ever held in China.

Wares Hossain, director of the export promotion bureau at Bangladesh's Ministry of Commerce, said that Bangladeshi exhibitors have brought garments, agro-based products, pharmaceuticals and handicrafts to the expo, with the aim of expanding their businesses in China.

Rajendran Muhundan, manager of MNP Gems and Jeweller in Sri Lanka, said that the expo has promoted his business. Last year, he established long-term cooperation agreements with 20 business-to-business customers from China and other countries at the expo, significantly increasing orders.

Suyash Mehta, director of Sudha India International in India, said that the expo is important for exporters as well as regional trade. Having participated five times, he is optimistic about achieving better sales this year.

Khalil Hashmi, Pakistan's ambassador to China, said that the expo serves as a crucial platform, offering opportunities for exhibitors. It allows small and medium-sized businesses to showcase and sell their products to a larger market, thereby boosting bilateral trade.

Bilateral trade between China and South Asian nations surged past $200 billion for the first time in 2025, up 10.7 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Hashmi noted that the expo has established a dedicated pavilion for the coffee industry.

He Yuejun, manager of Pu'er Aini plantation, said that the expo has successfully hosted a coffee-themed pavilion for three years, with his company seeing daily sales reach 20,000 yuan ($2,950) during the event last year.

"At the expo, we have the opportunity to share insights on coffee varieties, cultivation methods, and processing techniques. The expo serves as a platform for learning and interaction, raising the standards across the entire industry," He said.

Technology products stand out as particularly popular among the Chinese offerings at the expo.

Hashmi pays attention to China's high-tech products, such as electric vehicles and drones. "China has developed a range of green and digital technologies that are both high-quality and competitively priced," he said.