People visit the 20th China-ASEAN Expo at Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhou Hua)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has confirmed its participation in this year's China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) as a Special Partner Country, marking the very first time the expo has had a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member as its special partner, said the CAEXPO Secretariat on Sunday.

According to Liang Yiguang, deputy secretary-general of the secretariat, a delegation of the UAE will attend the 21st CAEXPO, which is scheduled to be held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, from Sept. 24 to 28. The country will also set up its own national pavilion during the event.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-UAE diplomatic relations. The two countries have carried out extensive and in-depth exchanges and cooperation in multiple fields over the decades.

Guangxi, the permanent venue of CAEXPO, is an important gateway for China's opening-up and its cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, and a pivotal hub along the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.