Pathways to prosperity

The ancient silk routes connected China with countries through long journeys and slow exchanges; the modern Digital Silk Road links them in milliseconds, transforming how cooperation, commerce and development unfold.

This transformation is particularly evident between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The two sides have become deeply interconnected markets and natural partners in the digital age. Digital corridors featuring high-speed, secure pathways for information serve as the backbone of this partnership. They make it possible for a merchant in Bangkok, Thailand, to confirm a payment from Shenzhen in South China instantly, for a farmer in Laos to use satellite-based tools to monitor crops, and for a doctor in Manila, the Philippines, to consult with a specialist in Beijing through real-time telemedicine. Where transactions once required arduous monthslong journeys, today cross-border transactions can be completed in the blink of an eye. History's hooves and sails have evolved into terrestrial and undersea optical cables.

The accelerating push toward digital connectivity in Southeast Asia has created an ideal moment for deeper China-ASEAN cooperation. Many ASEAN governments have made the digital transformation of their countries a top national priority, whether it be Thailand 4.0, Indonesia Digital 2025 or similar initiatives across the region. These efforts reflect both economic necessity and demographic realities: ASEAN is young, increasingly urban and overwhelmingly mobile-first. Its digital economy is growing at double-digit rates and is projected to reach $2 trillion by 2030. Against this backdrop, China's experience, technology and capital align naturally with ASEAN's rising demand and development aspirations.

Both sides also benefit from a broader constellation of regional frameworks that encourage digital integration, including the Belt and Road Initiative, the Digital Silk Road and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. These initiatives and mechanisms provide stable channels for cooperation, enabling China and ASEAN to not only build physical infrastructure but also deepen policy coordination, investment and innovation. Their complementary strengths such as China's technological and market advantages and ASEAN's demographic vitality and geographic significance create a foundation for partnership, which is both logical and mutually beneficial.

Infrastructure development has been the most visible starting point. Over the past decade, China and ASEAN have jointly built and upgraded multiple undersea and land optical cables, significantly improving transmission speeds and reducing latency across the region. An enhanced backbone network of three undersea cables and 12 land cables serves as the digital equivalent of a modern expressway system. It enables previously unimaginable applications, from real-time cross-border livestreaming to instant financial transactions and remote medical services that reach rural and island communities.

China's Beidou Navigation Satellite System adds another layer of connectivity. Continuous operation reference stations have been set up across all ASEAN member states, supporting precision agriculture, smart city planning, port operations and maritime emergency response. These applications demonstrate how digital systems can enhance public welfare, economic productivity and disaster resilience, resonating widely across the region.

Telecommunications cooperation further strengthens these foundations. Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE continue to support ASEAN members in building advanced 5G infrastructure. For example, Huawei helped Thailand's Advanced Info Service launch Southeast Asia's first "tri-country 5G roaming" service, and it is also collaborating with Malaysia's major telecom operators to develop a high-performance 5G network. These projects highlight a central feature of China-ASEAN digital collaboration: It is not about creating dependency, but about empowering countries to participate more actively in the global digital economy.

The impact of this infrastructure is most visible in e-commerce, one of the region's fastest-growing economic sectors. ASEAN's digital trade reached $263 billion in 2024 and continues to expand rapidly. China-ASEAN cross-border e-commerce has been growing at more than 20 percent annually — proof that digital platforms have become a key engine of bilateral trade. From fashion and consumer electronics to agricultural products, goods now move with unprecedented speed through digitally enabled supply chains.

Digital payments reinforce this momentum. Services such as Alipay and WeChat Pay are increasingly available in the ASEAN members, complementing local e-wallet systems and making cross-border financial transactions simpler, cheaper and more secure. China has also signed e-commerce cooperation memorandums with countries including Singapore, Thailand, Laos and the Philippines, accelerating efforts to harmonize digital standards and facilitate smoother digital trade flows. These developments show how digital corridors strengthen economic ties and broaden opportunities for small — and medium-sized enterprises, which form the backbone of the ASEAN economies.

Beyond commerce, innovation is becoming the frontier of China-ASEAN cooperation. Cloud computing, artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies are enabling new forms of collaboration. Chinese cloud service providers have established data centers in Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, offering scalable computing power for local startups, public services and digital industries. Meanwhile, blockchain projects are evolving from experimental pilots into practical applications, supporting product traceability, tax-data sharing, customs services and administrative operations.

At the community level, China has developed localized digital solutions to address ASEAN's social and developmental challenges. Shared e-bike systems help ease urban congestion in cities such as Jakarta and Bangkok. Digital education platforms support Indonesian boarding schools in integrating high-quality online learning. Smart agriculture tools and AI-driven systems contribute to sustainable development in remote rural areas. These "small but beautiful" projects reflect an important shift in China-ASEAN digital cooperation: a move from purely commercial goals to broader social and ecological value.

As digital connectivity deepens, a new challenge comes into view: shared governance and rules for cross-border data flows should be developed. Infrastructure can connect countries physically, but trust, transparency and clear standards are needed to connect them institutionally. China and ASEAN have the chance not only to adopt global digital rules but also to shape them. As they move from shared technologies to shared norms, they can jointly promote data security, personal information protection, digital-trade facilitation and ethical AI, providing a cooperative model for the wider Global South.

The rise of global digital geopolitics, combined with the emergence of the Global South as a more influential force, gives China and ASEAN additional strategic space. Their digital partnership is grounded in years of mutual trust and a tradition of equal, pragmatic cooperation. As more data flow freely under transparent and mutually recognized rules, the Digital Silk Road can transform from a network of individual cables into a coherent mesh, which is an open, resilient and inclusive digital highway that links two of the world's most vibrant regions.

History once recorded that "ships crossed the seas in numbers beyond count" along the ancient maritime Silk Road. Today, digital corridors are renewing that spirit for a new era. They embody cooperation, openness, mutual learning and shared benefits. Values remain essential as China and ASEAN navigate a rapidly changing technological landscape. By building and sharing digital infrastructure, developing innovative applications and shaping forward-looking rules, China and ASEAN can ensure that the Digital Silk Road becomes a pathway not just for data, but for common prosperity in the decades to come.

Liu Wen is an associate professor at Nanning Normal University and a PhD researcher at Beijing Foreign Studies University. Du Guodong is an adjunct fellow at the College of Media and International Culture at Zhejiang University. The authors contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.