Cross-border workers boost China-ASEAN ties

"These workers not only contribute to economic development, but also enhance the understanding between the Chinese and ASEAN people. They allow different cultures to interact," Huang said.

Xu Ningning, deputy secretary general of the China-ASEAN Business Council, said the China and ASEAN strategic partnership continued to bring opportunities, markets and resources to both sides.

Figures from China's Ministry of Commerce showed that total trade between China and the ASEAN reached 210.6 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of 2013, up 12.2 percent year on year.

China has been the biggest trade partner of the ASEAN for four years, while the ASEAN is China's third largest trade partner.

Trade grew to more than $400 billion in 2012 from $78 billion in 2003, the ministry said.

Vice commerce minister Gao Yan said trade between China and the ASEAN was expected to exceed $500 billion in 2015.

"Both sides will enhance cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure construction and manufacturing. Chinese financial institutions will try to promote China-ASEAN cooperation," Gao said.

As cooperation deepens, there will be more people joining the cross-border workforce, Xu said.

"In the coming years, a person could possibly have a meeting in a Singapore office in morning, and arrive at a factory in Shenzhen in the afternoon," Xu said.