ASEAN, China Expand Smart Farming Cooperation
Officials from China and ASEAN states gathered in Zhengzhou to discuss digital agriculture, food security and green supply chains.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Organic Food
The ASEAN-China (Henan) Cooperation and Development Conference on Food and Agriculture was held in Zhengzhou, China, from October 30 to November 1, 2026, drawing more than 500 participants. Discussions centered on strengthening cooperation in smart agriculture and food security across China and ASEAN member states.
Why it matters
The talks come in the fifth anniversary year of the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and follow the implementation of RCEP and the ACFTA 3.0 Upgrade Protocol, which the conference cited as creating new cooperation opportunities. The focus on digital technologies and green supply chains signals how agricultural trade and food security are being tied to regional economic integration.
The conference drew more than 500 attendees and ran alongside the 5th Belt and Road (Henan) International Agricultural Cooperation Expo. No binding agreements, funding amounts or measurable targets were included in the source material.
The players
ASEAN-China Centre
A bilateral institution that promotes cooperation and exchange between ASEAN and China across trade, culture and policy, and co-hosted the conference.
Kao Kim Hourn
The Secretary-General of ASEAN, who addressed the conference by video message.
Zhang Lizhong
A Chinese official who delivered remarks at the conference's opening ceremony.
The details
Participants discussed digital technologies, innovation and green supply chains, and toured an intelligent greenhouse facility at the Zhengzhou Agricultural Science and Technology Research Institute. Side events addressed food security, modern agriculture, artificial intelligence, livestock and poultry cooperation, and agricultural product trade. Kao Kim Hourn addressed the conference by video message and Zhang Lizhong delivered opening remarks.
Timeline
October 30 to November 1, 2026: Conference held in Zhengzhou, China.
2026: Fifth anniversary of the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Regional Trade Framework
The conference extends the ACFTA 3.0 Upgrade Protocol into agriculture, applying the trade framework to smart farming and food security cooperation. It reflects how the upgraded free trade area is being used to link digital agriculture and green supply chains across China and ASEAN.
Consumers in ASEAN and China may see agricultural trade and food supply effects only gradually as cooperation projects take shape. The extraction does not indicate near-term changes to retail prices or product availability.
The takeaway
Cooperation between ASEAN and China is increasingly centered on digital farming and green supply chains rather than trade volume alone. Watch for concrete agreements that follow these general pledges.
Further reading
For more on sustainable production methods, see Organic Food.
