KUALA LUMPUR -- Food and tourism would dominate the Malaysian exhibitions at the eighth China-ASEAN Expo 2011 in Guangxi, China next week.

Food and beverage producers are expected to account for one- third of the 151 Malaysian exhibitors at the six-day expo due on October 21, Malaysia's state news agency Bernama reported on Friday.

"The Chinese are curious about our food. They are curious about how the ethnic Chinese in our country have actually integrated with the other races," Wong Lai Sum, the chief executive officer of Malaysia's trade promotion agency Matrade told Bernama.

Bird's nests dealers would occupy about 18 booths at the Malaysian pavilion, which also features tour operators, hoteliers and cultural performance troupes from Johor, Malaysia's southern state as the country seeks to promote the state tourism industry.

China-ASEAN Exposition is an annual event held in Nanning, the capital of China's Guangxi province since 2004 under an agreement between China and ASEAN.