A staff member displays exhibits ahead of the upcoming CAEXPO. [Photo by Chen Guanyan/China News Service]

An online shopping festival will be held for the first time during the upcoming 18th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and will invite Viya, one of China's top e-commerce live streamers to promote products, said Wang Lei, secretary-general of the CAEXPO Secretariat, on Sept 1.

The 18th CAEXPO will be held from Sept 10 to 13, and like last year, it will take place both online and on-site in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

The exhibition area for 10 ASEAN countries during this year's event will reach around 12,000 square meters and each country will have their own exhibition area to showcase leading companies and brands such as Pacific International Lines, Singapore Airlines and Trung Nguyen Coffee from Vietnam. 

Institutions and companies from more than 20 other countries such as Pakistan, Poland, South Korea, Japan, Australia and Russia will also showcase during the expo. 

Wang said that this year's online exhibition will have more complete functions than last year and is now able to operate all year round, offering free online exhibitions for companies participating in the on-site event.

Various strengthened anti-pandemic measures have been applied, for example, all participants at the event have to finish all phases of the COVID-19 vaccine in advance and all vehicles and products entering the exhibition area have to be disinfected.