Port co-operation was the chief topic of the four-day China-ASEAN Expo that opened on October 28 in southwest China's Nanning city, Xinhua reported.

Ministers of transport, representatives from port authorities, terminal operators, investors, major carriers, logistics service providers and shipbuilders were invited to the port development and co-operation forum held during the event.

The Port of Singapore, Malaysia's Port Klang, the ports of Manila, Jakarta and Port of Tanjung Perak as well as Vietnam's ports of Ho Chi Minh City and Danang attended.

The expo is said to be a showcase of the major port cities' future development plan, latest technologies and services, providing a platform for business connection between buyers and suppliers.

The ports of Fangchenggang, Qinzhou and Beihai in Guangxi, (the latter being the hub for trade between China and ASEAN countries), currently have an aggregate capacity of 3.45 million tons. Total throughput of these three ports will reach 100 million tons by 2010 and 300 million tons by 2020.