Beibu Gulf Global Fresh Cold-chain Logistics Park signs cooperation contracts with 30 enterprises. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The first phase of Beibu Gulf Global Fresh Cold-chain Logistics Park, the first large-scale cold-chain logistics base in Southwest China, began operations on May 27.

The park, which was created and run by a subsidiary of Guangxi Modern Logistics Group at a cost of 4 billion yuan ($600 million), is one of China's major projects.

It was built in three phases and has a total area of 600 mu (40 hectares). Its first phase is for refrigeration facilities with a 200,000-metric-ton storage capacity. The park will be able to store and process 600,000 tons of fresh food once all three phases are operational.

On the basis of the aquatic product resources of Beibu Gulf cities and the cold-chain logistics routes of Fangchenggang, the park will connect the primary markets in ASEAN, Europe, and China.

On the same day, the park inked cooperation agreements with 30 enterprises in fields as diverse as cold-chain transportation, breeding and fishing, import and export trade, and cold-chain charting trains.

During the event, it was also announced that the park will expand its collaboration with its ASEAN partners in sectors such as agricultural products, logistics, and cold-chain food processing.