The project signing ceremony. [Photo/Guangxi Daily]

Nine cross-border industrial projects with total investment of 2.39 billion yuan ($331.04 million) were signed up on June 27 to settle in the Chongzuo area of the China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Two involve aquatic products processing, five involve manufacturing of small household appliances and one each is for modern trade and logistics, as well as a Southeast Asian automobile and parts export base and catering service center.

The projects are expected to further promote the development of cross-border industries in Chongzuo, increase the vitality of border industries and promote the optimization and upgrading of the industrial supply chain.

They're also projected to accelerate the creation of a cross-border industrial chain supply chain for the ASEAN bloc of trading nations, including China.

"In the wake of the cross-border e-commerce operation test, the auto parts we have produced have been sold to Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries," said Wei Tongwei, chairman of Huayu Anrong Automobile Technology Service.

The Chongzuo area is the only border free trade area in Guangxi and one of the five border free trade areas in China. It has eight national opening-up cooperation platforms, including a cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone, a comprehensive bonded zone, and a border economic cooperation zone.