This year's CSAE, themed "Unity and Cooperation for Development," offers an expansive showcase across a wide range of sectors, with a spotlight on companies in the green energy, modern agriculture, healthcare, leisure, entertainment, culture and tourism fields, highlighting the economic and trade potential between China and South Asian countries. The expo features 15 exhibition halls, with nearly 60% of the available space allocated to targeted industries, including dedicated spaces for building science and technology, manufacturing, green energy, modern agriculture, and region-specific products. For the first time, the expo features a Coffee Industry Pavilion, hosting over 160 exhibitors. Additionally, the South Asia Pavilion has expanded to include two halls, providing space for more than 800 booths, and incorporating a special exhibition area for Pakistan, this year's theme country.

Since its inception, the CSAE has played a crucial role in deepening and expanding trade ties between China and South Asian countries, with seven successful editions to date. The expo continues to serve as a key platform for policy exchanges, commodity trading, and investment collaboration. To date, it has attracted participation from over 18,000 domestic and international companies, drawn more than 4 million visitors, and generated over US$100 billion in foreign trade turnover, leading to the signing and implementation of over 3,000 projects. Data from China's Ministry of Commerce show that in 2023, trade between China and South Asian countries neared US$200 billion, marking a doubling since 2013, the year the expo was first held.