As one of the region's three economic development zones in China's 11th five-year program (2006-10) for developing its western areas, the Guangxi Beibu Gulf economic zone located in Pan-Beibu Gulf Region, has attracted a large number of investors and enterprises.

With a population of 12.4 million, the zone covers Guangxi's capital city Nanning, and the three coastal cities of Fangchenggang, Qinzhou and Beihai. It is strategically located as the gateway to ASEAN with both land and sea routes into the region.

As a new sub-region cooperation scheme under the framework of China-ASEAN (10+1), Pan-Beibu Gulf economic cooperation acts as a hub connecting China and the ASEAN countries and also attracts increasing global attention.