Huang Xianyang, head of the Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, said on Nov 5 that Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region contains most of China's man-made forests and highest timber yield, and the region plans to expand forestry communication and cooperation with ASEAN.

The China-ASEAN Expo Forest and Wood Products Exhibition 2021 commenced on the same day and lasted till Nov 8. It was the longest professional exhibition under the CAEXPO. A total of 2,370 domestic companies and 721 ASEAN companies have attended the event in the past decade, making the expo an important platform for China-ASEAN forestry cooperation. 

Guangxi is a vital ecological barrier in South China with a forest coverage rate of 62.5 percent. The annual output value of the region's forestry industry exceeded 750 billion yuan ($117 billion) in 2020, and jumped three places to China's second from their fifth ranking in 2015. 

Guangxi borders ASEAN by both land and sea and has been deepening wood products trade and forestry communication with ASEAN countries such as Vietnam, Myanmar and Malaysia.

The industrial park on forestry circular economy in China (Chongzuo)-Thailand Industrial Park covers a total area of 12,000 mu (800 hectares) and now houses 69 companies, which has helped become a pioneer for promoting Guangxi's forestry industry to ASEAN markets.