The CAEXPO-themed aircraft makes its debut at Nanning Wuxu International Airport. [Photo by Yu Jing/China News Service]

China Southern Airlines unveiled a new China-ASEAN Expo-themed aircraft on Sept 8 at Nanning Wuxu International Airport - located in Nanning, capital of South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

After the unveiling, the aircraft - a Boeing 737-800 - conducted its maiden flight to Bangkok, Thailand on the day.

The passenger plane will be used for this year's ASEAN charter flights and on domestic routes to cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. 

The exterior livery of the aircraft was finished in 13 days and features CAEXPO's emblem and mascots as well as representative buildings of ASEAN countries - symbolizing the blending of Chinese and ASEAN civilizations and the vision for mutual creation and benefits. 

In addition to the aircraft, the airline is providing boarding passes and luggage tags with Chinese and ASEAN design elements to passengers. The interior of the cabin was also decorated with elements of CAEXPO, enabling passengers to learn more about the expo during their flight.