Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen visited China over the weekend and met with top Chinese officials to discuss investment, trade and financing construction. After the meetings, the two sides issued a joint statement, pledging more cooperation in six areas.

This week, China and ASEAN held the first round of negotiations, kicking off a process of upgrading their bilateral trade arrangements.

During a meeting last week, the leaders of China and the Philippines talked about strengthening cooperation in trade, infrastructure, energy and other areas while emphasizing that "maritime issues do not comprise the sum-total of relations." The two sides signed 14 bilateral agreements on issues related to the Belt

China's Customs agency recently published regulatory requirements, as part of a domestic procedure that follows up on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) protocols signed between China and Laos, for cattle and tobacco leaves from Laos.

Last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith met and talked about trade, investment, and infrastructure, and signed over 20 cooperation documents in these areas.

China's Customs agency recently issued regulatory requirements for bananas from Indonesia, sweet potatoes from Vietnam, and aquatic products and peppercorns form Cambodia. This came after Chinese officials recently played up the trade relationship with ASEAN countries.

China is allowing imports of bananas, bird's nests, and sweet potatoes from Vietnam. The news came after a meeting between the leaders of both nations earlier this month, when they vowed to bolster cooperation on trade and other areas.