Southern Transport Corridor focus of China-ASEAN Expo

Guangxi will work to make breakthroughs in bottlenecks along the corridor and promote the development of key projects, Wei said.

In addition, construction of land and marine routes will be strengthened so as to create a joint transport network. It will also improve the service and the business environment along the route as well as establish influential logistics brands. Long-term cooperation and a coordination mechanism for the construction of the corridor will also be established.

The full name of the Southern Transport Corridor is the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Connectivity Initiative Southern Transport Corridor. A joint venture between China and Singapore, it is positioned as a new strategic pivot in Southwest and Central China's opening-up.

The corridor is expected to offer a shorter, quicker and cheaper trade route between western China and Southeast Asia, helping the region expand its economic cooperation with Europe and the rest of the world.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership. Aimed at promoting bilateral trade and investment, this year's China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business & Investment Summit, now in its 15th edition, will be held from Wednesday to Saturday in Nanning, capital of Guangxi.

According to Guangxi's government, this year's expo will serve the country's Belt and Road Initiative and promoting the construction of the Southern Transport Corridor will be an important part of the effort.