The first China-ASEAN Expo Summit for International Cooperation (CAESIC) kicked off in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Wednesday,

About 300 representatives from six overseas associations and 23 domestic organizations attended the summit, according to the organizing committee.

"With the galloping economic growth of China and the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN), a growing number of Chinese companies are ready to invest in ASEAN countries," said Zheng Junjian, deputy secretary-general of China-ASEAN Expo Secretariat.

"Nowadays exhibitions not only provide a platform for communication but also help companies sell their products directly," said Edward Liu, president of the Asia branch of the International Association for Exhibition Management.

The trade volume between China and ASEAN countries reached 130 billion U.S. dollars in 2005. The volume reported an average annual rise of 20 percent in the past 15 years since 1991 and is up 30 percent during the past four years.

Source: Xinhua