Nanning to become China-ASEAN trade center

The Nanning municipal people's government recently issued its development plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), as well as its longer-term vision for 2035.

It proposes turning Nanning into a new highland for all-round opening-up and development, a regional international metropolis open to ASEAN cooperation, as well as an important gateway and hub city connected with countries and regions along the Belt and Road.

Nanning is the nearest provincial capital city in China to ASEAN, and is the long-term host city for the China-ASEAN Expo.

From 2021 to 2025, the city will accelerate the expansion of the expo's service area to the member countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the countries and regions along the Belt and Road. It will also strive to become a RCEP pilot area and a center for China-ASEAN trade.

The city will actively participate in the Pan-Pearl River Delta City Convention and Exhibition Alliance, establish a global procurement center for the expo, and expand the expo's content from trade and investment to fields like international production and cross-border cooperation.

The online China-ASEAN Expo will also be carried out throughout the year.

In addition, Nanning will strive to attract more countries and regions to set up business offices and regional cooperative organizations in the city during the 14th Five-Year Plan, and promote the convening of more ASEAN meetings and high-level forums in the city, helping turn itself into the main center for ASEAN affairs in China.

The city will give full play to its regional advantages and participate in the industrial division of labor among the ASEAN countries, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the regions along the New Western Land-Sea Corridor.

It will be built into an industrial investment hub where Chinese enterprises can enter the ASEAN markets and ASEAN enterprises can enter the Chinese mainland market. It will also seek to become a trade settlement area, a scientific and technological innovation support city and a place of life service assurance.