Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region vowed to boost the Beibu Gulf economic zone in order to revive the China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) regional economy, officials and entrepreneurs said.

The Beibu Gulf Economic Zone, located in Pan-Beibu Gulf Region, is expected to further accelerate its development pace and enjoy more advantages with the expected completion of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area by 2010, according to the local government. Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Region was launched in 2006 by Guangdong, Yunnan and Guangxi, along with six Southeast Asian countries - Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei.

Li Yanqiang, vice director of the Plan and Management Committee from Guangxi Beibu Gulf Economic Zone, told China.org.cn, "the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone will become a thriving region thanks to China-ASEAN cooperation and its rising will also help the regional economy recovery." 
He introduced that the Economic Zone, with a population of 12.55 million and a land area of 42,500 square km, is the biggest multi-regional cooperation area in China, covering four major cities - Nanning, Beihai, Qinzhou and Fangchenggang.According to the Guangxi Bureau of Statistics, industrial added value of the Economic Zone reached RMB 32.754 billion yuan from January to August, up 29.5%, 4.3% more than the average level across Guangxi. "With profound advantages in terms of natural resources and geography, the Economic Zone has become a bright spot among the region," Li said.

In Guangxi, major breakthroughs have been made with regard to the construction of the Guilin-Beihai and Nanning-Guangzhou expressways, and the renovation of major ports at Fangcheng, Beihai and Qinzhou is now well under way.

By the end of this year, ports across Guangxi will have a handling capacity of more than 100 million tons of cargo and approximately 1.4 million 20-foot container units.Li said that the local government tries to create a good investment environment and also works out preferential policies. "Under the current policies, labor costs in the Economic Zone are 20 percent lower than in eastern China and the cost of water and electricity is also 20 percent less, and land costs for investors are also relatively lower," he said.

From 2008 to 2015, the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone is facing a crucial time to have spanning social and economic development in which talents play a strategic, fundamental and decisive role, according to the official web of Nanning government. Li Yanqiang said training and attracting top-level and innovative leading talents with combined skills and knowledge is important to promote regional economy recovery. "The Economic Zone endeavors to gain advantages to attract talents and offers favorable conditions for them to start up their businesses," he said. "This talent development plan will facilitate its effort to construct the Zone and provide a guarantee to promote cooperation in China-ASEAN region."