Dezhou in Shandong province is hosting the 2026 Yellow River–Mekong River Exchange Week from Nov 12 to 15, bringing Chinese and Southeast Asian businesses together for trade talks and matchmaking and reinforcing the city's position as a pivot for China–ASEAN trade in northern China. 

The four-day event features trade talks with Cambodia and Vietnam, business matchmaking sessions, legal services discussions for overseas operations, and a fair showcasing geographical indication products, along with youth exchanges and visits to local industrial facilities. A signing ceremony on Nov 13 will cover university cooperation, business associations, legal services, and industrial projects, followed by a trade and investment promotion event focusing on Shandong–ASEAN cooperation.

ASEAN has been Dezhou's largest trading partner for seven consecutive years. From January to August this year, the city's trade with ASEAN reached 10.15 billion yuan (about $1.52 billion), up 2.4 percent year-on-year. Thirteen companies from Dezhou, including Shandong GRAD Group, a manufacturer of central air-conditioning systems and composite materials, and Shandong Bailong Chuangyuan Bio-Tech Co, a producer of functional food ingredients, have set up factories or offices in ASEAN countries, with their agreed investments in ASEAN totaling 980 million yuan.

This is the fourth consecutive year Dezhou has held this platform linking Yellow River provinces with Mekong River basin countries. The city currently has friendly relations with 10 provinces and cities in five ASEAN countries and has set up 12 specialized platforms, including a permanent secretariat.