Nanning holds the first Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs and Leaders Exchange and Cooperation Conference on Sept 16. [Photo by Yu Jing/chinanews.com]

The first Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs and Leaders Exchange and Cooperation Conference took place on Sept 16 in Nanning, with nearly 1,000 attendees from home and aboard exploring business opportunities in the China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Held by the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Central Committee of Zhigong Party, and the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, the conference aimed to assist overseas businessmen in starting businesses in Guangxi through the establishment of an exchange platform.

Chen Wu, chairman of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, said at the opening ceremony that the number of overseas Chinese enterprises and investment accounts for more than 60 percent of the total number of foreign-funded enterprises and foreign capital in the region. He encouraged participating entrepreneurs to invest in Guangxi, in the fields of interconnection, international production capacity, investment and trade, as well as cultural exchange.

"Guangxi's development is booming with unprecedented vitality and huge investment potential, which can provide a broad stage for overseas Chinese entrepreneurs," said Chen.

Xu Rongmao, president of the China Federation of Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs, suggested that overseas Chinese businessmen explore the potential of Guangxi in the fields of advanced manufacturing, new energy vehicles, new materials, biomedicine, tourism, and recreation, as well as make full use of the advantages to promote the construction of cooperative projects between Guangxi and neighboring countries.

A total of 23 investment cooperation projects were signed at the conference, covering big health, big data, big logistics, new manufacturing, new energy, and other industries, with an investment amount of 24.24 billion yuan ($3.42 billion).

A number of investment cooperation projects are signed at the conference. [Photo by Yu Jing/chinanews.com]