KUNMING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- In the early morning mist in Jinglai Village in Menghai County, southwest China's Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, villager Yu Ying'er loaded freshly picked vegetables onto her three-wheeled vehicle.

Within an hour, the dew-covered produce will pass through a designated "green channel" for cross-border trade, heading to markets in neighboring countries.

Yu, who has long sold vegetables across the border, said Chinese produce enjoys strong demand in Myanmar thanks to its variety and quality. The sight of tricycles shuttling to and from the border has become common in this area.

In recent years, fruits and vegetables from Yunnan have gained popularity across ASEAN markets. Grapes, citrus, mushrooms and other specialty products have emerged as leading exports.

According to Kunming Customs, Yunnan's agricultural trade with ASEAN reached 18.6 billion yuan (about 2.62 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2025 -- up 23.5 percent year on year. Fruit exports alone increased by 44.3 percent in this period.

Experts attribute this growth to Yunnan's unique geography and climate. "Yunnan's low-latitude plateau offers abundant sunlight and biodiversity, allowing year-round production of tropical and temperate fruits," said Zhang Shengping, deputy director of the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Yunnan's fruit harvests, notably, complement ASEAN production cycles, filling seasonal gaps. From fruit stalls in Thailand to supermarkets in Indonesia -- grapes, citrus and apples from Yunnan have become familiar sights.

The province is also a major vegetable producer. Its southern valleys produce summer vegetables in winter, while its highlands yield winter vegetables in summer. "This allows continuous supply throughout the year," said Wang Tao, an official with the provincial department of commerce.

In addition, logistics upgrades have further boosted exports. The China-Laos Railway and streamlined customs procedures have cut transport times nearly in half compared with road freight.

In early August, a "Luliang Vegetable" cold-chain freight train departed from Luliang Station in the city of Qujing in Yunnan, carrying fresh produce to Bangkok, capital of Thailand. Return trips transport durians and other tropical fruits to China, thereby creating a two-way trade corridor.

The China-Laos Railway, integrated with the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and the China-Europe Railway Express, now covers 31 provincial-level regions in China and 19 countries and regions including Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. This network has opened a fast track for Yunnan's highland produce to reach global markets.

Later in August, another cold-chain train delivered more than 400 tonnes of vegetables from the city of Yuxi to Thailand -- requiring just three days to complete the trip. Multimodal transport by rail, road and sea now also enables Yunnan produce to reach Singapore and beyond.

"Proximity to Laos, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries gives Yunnan a natural advantage in exports," Zhang said. With the China-Laos-Thailand Railway fully connected and new distribution centers under construction, more high-quality "Yunnan-brand" products are expected to enter international markets.

Efficient logistics and streamlined customs help ensure freshness. "Citrus exported from Mengzi can reach Vietnamese consumers the same day it's shipped," said Zhao Ziqi, head of Honghe Dayou Trading Co. Honghe, another city in Yunnan, sees Orah citrus harvested from December through July, giving ASEAN markets year-round access to fresh fruit.

Policy measures are also supporting growth. In August, Yunnan introduced steps to optimize tax administration and expand exports of highland specialties including tea, flowers, coffee, mushrooms and nuts.

New rules for the China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone took effect in September -- encouraging innovative trade models, closer cooperation with neighboring countries, and cross-border labor pilot programs.

China is the world's largest fruit producer and consumer -- and agricultural trade with ASEAN has expanded under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Belt and Road framework. As a key production and export base, Yunnan's rapidly growing fruit and vegetable trade illustrates how regional advantages can align with national strategies to reach global markets.

While exporting fruits to ASEAN countries, Yunnan also imports fruits from those countries, especially Thailand and Vietnam, creating a two-way fruit corridor. With faster logistics and new rail links, more Yunnan fruits and vegetables are now reaching ASEAN markets fresh from China's southwestern highlands, said Wang Tao. ■