The Nanning Airport Economic Demonstration Zone was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Civil Aviation Administration on July 21 to be built as China's first regional aviation hub for Southeast Asia.

The zone represents a major national-level opening-up development platform in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which will inject new impetus into the burgeoning pattern of high-quality development and all-round opening-up in the region.

The zone has a planned area of 118 square kilometers, including 92 sq km in Wuxu area and 26 sq km in Jiangnan area. It will focus on developing modern airport industry clusters, accelerating the construction of a green smart airport, and promoting opening-up cooperation and institutional innovation, to build itself into a regional gateway hub for the Belt and Road and provide strong support for the formation of a major international channel to ASEAN countries, as well as prompting the quality development of the regional economy.

According to the overall development plan, by 2025, the output value of the airport industry in the demonstration zone will reach more than 100 billion yuan ($14.28 billion), and the comprehensive transportation system and the industrial system supported by aviation core industries, high-tech manufacturing, and high-end service industries will be completed.

By 2030, the comprehensive service system will be basically completed, the innovation capacity of the demonstration zone will be greatly improved, the industrial foundation will be stronger, and the zone's role in leading and driving Guangxi's development will be increased significantly.

The Nanning Airport Economic Demonstration Zone will help Guangxi make a contribution to the construction of the Belt and Road, accelerate the construction of an international channel for ASEAN countries, and promote the development of China (Guangxi) Free Trade Pilot Zone. It will also help Nanning accelerate the development of a high-end industrial system based on air transportation and supported by aviation-related industries.