Overview

Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, used the conclusion of the 23rd China‑ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and the China‑ASEAN Business and Investment Summit to highlight its expanding role as a gateway for trade, transport and artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation with ASEAN nations.

Trade Performance

In the first eight months of 2026, Nanning recorded foreign trade of 65.171 billion yuan, a 2.4% year‑on‑year increase. Trade with ASEAN accounted for 18.246 billion yuan, representing 28% of the city’s total trade, while trade with Vietnam grew 18.6% over the same period.

Pinglu Canal Development

The Pinglu Canal opened on 16 September 2026, allowing vessels up to 5,000 tonnes to travel directly from Nanning to the Beibu Gulf. The new waterway shortens the inland waterway route by more than 560 km compared with the previous route via Guangzhou Port. To capitalize on this, Nanning is developing an industrial belt along the canal, upgrading the Balian Joint Operation Area in the Liujing Port Zone for 5,000‑tonne vessels, and accelerating construction of a dedicated railway line at Liujing to enhance rail‑water intermodal transport. Industries such as non‑ferrous metals, green chemicals and equipment manufacturing are clustering along the canal.

Free Trade Zone Innovation

The Nanning Area of the China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone, linked to initiatives like the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” model and the China‑ASEAN Industrial Cooperation Zone, introduced 260 institutional innovations, of which 214 are first‑of‑their‑kind at the national or autonomous‑region level. These innovations span cross‑border finance and digital trade, lowering logistics costs and attracting industrial investment in both airport‑oriented and port‑related sectors.

AI Marketplace and Cooperation

At the CAEXPO AI marketplace, 70 companies displayed over 500 products across eight categories, generating transactions exceeding 28 million yuan (≈ US$3.9 million). The exhibition featured large AI models, AI chips, AI glasses, intelligent robots and rehabilitation devices tailored for ASEAN markets. Business matchmaking events covered digital trade, cross‑border e‑commerce and intelligent manufacturing.

The China‑ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Application Cooperation Center in Wuxiang New District hosted 37 roadshows and matchmaking events, releasing 42 cooperation needs for AI applications in ASEAN. Approximately 100 preliminary cooperation agreements were signed, involving around 2 billion yuan, including more than 1 billion yuan earmarked for cooperation with ASEAN countries.

Nanning now hosts 1,552 AI‑related enterprises, accounting for 57.3% of Guangxi’s total AI firms. Notable participants include:

  • ArcherMind Technology, which established its ASEAN headquarters in Nanning and is supplying intelligent robots to Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, including school deployments.
  • iFLYTEK, which signed a strategic cooperation agreement to explore AI applications in education, healthcare and urban governance for ASEAN markets.
  • Xinchen Semiconductor, integrating chip technologies for Internet‑of‑Vehicles and Internet‑of‑Things applications within Nanning.

Strategic Model

Nanning’s development model is described as “R&D in Beijing, Shanghai and the Greater Bay Area, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN,” aiming to position the city as a hub for international AI cooperation with Southeast Asia.

Conclusion

Through the combined impact of the newly opened Pinglu Canal, extensive AI marketplace activity, and a suite of institutional innovations within its pilot free‑trade zone, Nanning is broadening its opening‑up strategy beyond traditional trade and investment to encompass digital technologies and intelligent applications, thereby strengthening economic links between China and ASEAN.