China has been the largest trading partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for 10 consecutive years.

Now, for the first time, ASEAN has become China's largest trading partner for the first eight months of this year, making the two sides one another's largest trading partner.

The total trade value between China and the regional bloc reached $416.55 billion from January to August, growing 3.8 percent on a yearly basis and accounting for 14.6 percent of China's total foreign trade value.