NANNING — The 18th China-ASEAN Expo is expected to expand its exhibition area for foreign countries to about 20,000 square meters, up 13.4 percent compared to the prior expo, said the organizer on Sept 6.

A total of 397 foreign companies will participate in this year's expo held both online and offline in Nanning, the capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, from Sept 10 to 13.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of dialogue relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This year's expo will help expand the platform functions of the expo. It will also further serve the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

The expo will have a total exhibition area of 124,000 square meters and hold exchange activities in economy and trade, science and technology, and the digital economy and health, according to the China-ASEAN Expo Secretariat.