The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has replaced the EU to emerge as China’s largest trading partner in the first two months this year, customs data showed.

Trade between China and ASEAN economies rose by 0.5 percent year-on-year to USD 85.32 billion in January and February, against a backdrop of falling trade with most other trading members as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Notably, China’s imports from Vietnam increased by 24.2 percent, from Indonesia by 13 percent year-on-year. By the end of 2019, ASEAN was China’s second-largest trading partner accounting for more than USD 641 billion trade over the year, while the EU stood as the largest trading partner. EU trade is likely to rise again as China’s largest trading partner after the coronavirus fades.