Three railway-related companies pledged major investments on Thursday in the Nansha New Area to establish bases to support their overseas expansion efforts, as the area marked the first anniversary of the launch of its free trade zone.

China Railway Group and China Railway Construction Corp plan to build their headquarters for South China operations in the area, incorporating functions such as an international settlement center, manufacturing and professional services.

Two subsidiaries of China Railway GroupChina Railway Port and Channel Engineering Group Co and China Railway Tunnel Group Cowill move their headquarters to Nansha, a district in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.