Photo shows a booth for Guangxi products at the China-ASEAN Mercantile Exchange in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Yan Lizheng)

The China-ASEAN Mercantile Exchange in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, offers a diverse range of exotic products from Southeast Asian countries.

The exchange, located in the Nanning Area of China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone and Nanning Comprehensive Bonded Zone, boasts nearly 5,000 varieties of commodities, including Singaporean bak kut teh, Thai seasonings, Vietnamese coffee, and Cambodian rice.

Customers can scan QR codes to purchase foreign products in an immersive shopping experience. Beyond its consumer-facing role, the exchange also serves as a platform for international businesses to showcase new products and forge partnerships.

Established in 2021 by the China-Singapore Nanning International Logistics Park and the China-ASEAN Expo Secretariat, the exchange aims to gather products from members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and partner countries of the Belt and Road Initiative, promote business cooperation, and help companies explore markets.

Guangxi's geographical proximity to ASEAN countries has attracted many businesses from the region to invest in the autonomous region and enter the Chinese market. Guangxi Taijingxi Taizhong Trading Co., Ltd., a foreign-invested company, joined the exchange's platform in 2022 to promote Thai products in China.

The exchange's innovative platform has attracted worldwide attention from business and political circles. Metinee Nuntadee, general manager for the Thai market at Guangxi Taijingxi Taizhong Trading, praised the exchange for its effectiveness in helping the company expand in the Chinese market.

"Guangxi continues to introduce favorable policies to encourage foreign investment, focusing on creating a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized. This has strengthened our resolve to invest in Guangxi," Nuntadee said.

Liu Jinsheng, general manager of the digital economy development department at the exchange, stressed its role in facilitating multi-field cooperation between China and ASEAN countries. The center aims to be a gateway for foreign businesses entering China and Chinese companies expanding overseas.

The number of companies registered in the Nanning Area of China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone has increased 24.5-fold since its establishment, with foreign enterprises growing 15-fold. As a gateway to ASEAN countries, Guangxi plans to boost openness and share new cooperation opportunities across more sectors.