China-ASEAN Expo opened in Nanning

The 13th China-ASEAN Expo opened on Sunday with the participation of over 2,500 companies including from India as China seeks to deepen its industrial cooperation, trade and investment ties with ASEAN countries, specially with its multi-billion dollar Silk Road initiative.

The expo, held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, was given the theme, "Jointly building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Forging an Even Closer China-ASEAN Community of Common Destiny."

The four-day event attracted more than 2,500 companies from 29 countries, including the 10 ASEAN members and countries including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit also opened on Sunday.

The expo features 5,800 exhibition booths this year, an increase of 1,200 from the previous event.

It includes more than 30 forums to encourage China-ASEAN cooperation in such fields as education, environmental protection, culture, transport and tourism.

China is ASEAN's largest trading partner, and ASEAN is China's third-largest trading partner. Trade between the two increased 8.3 per cent year on year to $480 billion in 2014.