The 12th Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation Forum & 2022 Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port Cooperation Summit will take place on July 8 in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, officials announced during a June 30 press conference.

This year's event is held by 12 departments such as the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the Thai Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore.

Pressing issues such as grasping opportunities brought by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), jointly building the Belt and Road, developing the maritime economy and injecting new vitality into the high-level construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor will be discussed during the event.

As of now, ministers from ASEAN countries and ports, such as PSA International, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have confirmed their attendance online or in recorded videos.

The concept of Pan-Beibu Gulf economic cooperation was put forward in 2006 to boost sub-regional cooperation between China and ASEAN members in regard to marine cooperation and trade. The forum was host to a batch of port, finance and tourism cooperation contract signings over the past years, and has helped launch cooperation projects in various fields including port logistics, industry, finance, marine, environment protection, tourism and culture.