From headwinds to horizons: Accelerating China-ASEAN connect
Highlights from the Standard Chartered China Summit 2025 – exploring cross-border opportunities in digital, supply chain transformation and sustainability.
This article originally appeared on Caixin Media and content has been revised to fit SC.com editorial guidelines.
Key insights
- AI-driven digital transformation is fundamentally restructuring global value chains, injecting new momentum into China-ASEAN collaboration.
- China and ASEAN are collaborating through innovation to pioneer a resilient development path featuring “technological symbiosis, market integration and ecosystem co-creation.”
- Amid volatility, supply chains shifting to the Global South require financial institutions to support orderly cross-border investments.
- Standard Chartered’s ‘super connector’ strategy leverages our network across 53 global markets to support business expansion across ASEAN and globally.
The Standard Chartered China Summit was successfully held in Shanghai in June 2025, gathering government officials, business leaders and financial experts to explore new opportunities in China-ASEAN economic cooperation. The summit addressed topics in globalisation, digital economy development, supply chain transformation, sustainability, and cross-border opportunities in ASEAN.
Jean Lu, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice Chairperson of Standard Chartered Bank (China) Ltd., opened the summit by highlighting ASEAN’s growing middle class, green transition demands and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) benefits as drivers for collaboration. Jean said, “As a ‘super connector’, we leverage our network across 53 global markets and our ‘Global Chinese’ banking proposition to provide comprehensive financial solutions spanning cross-border business to family wealth.”
Hu Xiaolian, vice chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges and former chairman of the Export-Import Bank of China, analysed how shifts in global forces have led to changes in markets and the economy. Countries have to now rethink their strategies. “Supply chains shifting to the Global South require financial institutions to support orderly cross-border investments amid volatility,” she noted in her keynote address.
Malaysian Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, The Honourable Liew Chin Tong emphasised ASEAN’s triple advantage as a mid-tech manufacturing hub, geopolitical neutral zone and emerging consumer market. He urged Chinese businesses to “adopt 20-year perspectives for mutual prosperity through technological cooperation.”
During a high-level panel on emerging trends in the global economy, Sunil Kaushal, Global Co-head of Corporate and Investment Banking, and CEO of ASEAN and South Asia of Standard Chartered Bank; Selina Yuan, vice president of Alibaba Group and president of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence International; Wang Lei, acting CFO and head of capital market of Horizon Robotics and Linda Sheng, head of international business of MiniMax, came together to discuss the latest global economic trends and how advanced technology are reshaping global value chains.
The panel focused on how China and ASEAN can jointly define a new global economic paradigm. Panelists agreed that AI-driven digital transformation is fundamentally restructuring global value chains, injecting new momentum into China-ASEAN collaboration. By fully leveraging complementary resources and steadfastly implementing localisation strategies, both sides are embracing digital connectivity while relying on mature industrial ecosystems to mitigate risks and achieve mutual success. Amid global economic transformation, China and ASEAN are collaborating through innovation to pioneer a resilient development path featuring technological symbiosis, market integration and ecosystem co-creation.
In his session, Tom Simpson of the China-Britain Business Council said that the UK’s role as the top offshore RMB clearing center makes it a China-UK financial cooperation cornerstone. “True security requires collaboration, not isolation – with finance, manufacturing synergy and education partnerships forming vital supports for Chinese businesses entering Europe”.
In the thematic panel discussion, Berlianto Situngkir, consul general of the Republic of Indonesia in Shanghai; Tommy Tang, chief product strategy officer of Geely Auto Group; Chow Wan Thonh, head of coverage, Singapore and ASEAN, Standard Chartered Bank; and Wu Yanjun, executive director, board secretary of REPT BATTERO Energy, addressed supply chain resilience.
The panelists articulated a cohesive roadmap for China-ASEAN supply chain cooperation, particularly in new energy and automotive sectors. This approach centers on maximising complementary resources while implementing deep localisation strategies. By embracing digital connectivity to enhance systemic resilience and leveraging mature industrial ecosystems for shared risk mitigation, both regions can forge mutual prosperity amid global economic transformation.
Helen Hui, Head, Coverage of Hong Kong and Greater China, of Standard Chartered Bank in her closing remarks said, “As China-ASEAN cooperation continues to grow due to digital innovation, robust supply chains and shared sustainability commitments, our ‘super connector’ strategy supports business expansion across ASEAN and globally – whatever stage the company is in or whichever market it enters.”
The Standard Chartered China Summit stands as one of the bank’s flagship forums in the Chinese market. As a foreign bank with deep-rooted heritage in China, Standard Chartered leverages its global network advantages, sector expertise, extensive partnerships, and innovation capabilities to serve as both bridge and accelerator for China’s dual-circulation development strategy.
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