Preparations for the first Sino-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Fair, slated to be held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, from Nov. 3 to 6 this year, have been carried out in a smooth manner.

A business and investment summit will also be organized during the first Sino-ASEAN fair, which will take place at the International Conference and Expo Center of Nanning, said Zheng Junjian, deputy head of Guangxi Autonomous Regional Bureau for International Exposition Affairs, at a specially convened promotion function held on Friday during the ongoing 95th China Export Commodity Fair held in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province.

According to Zheng, the Sino-ASEAN fair will have 2,200 booths, plus 26,000 sq m of open-air exhibition plaza.

State leaders and government officials from China and ASEAN, well-known academics, leaders of chambers of commerce and associations, representatives and CEOs of multinationals will be invited to the fair, said Zheng.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao proposed to hold a Sino-ASEAN fair a year starting from 2004 when he attended the Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China (10+1) inBali, Indonesia, on Oct. 8, 2003, as one of China's practical actions to promote construction of a free trade zone.

In his proposal, Premier Wen also named Nanning as the permanent venue of the Sino-ASEAN fair.

Source: Xinhua