In 2025, Nanning saw the establishment of 259 new foreign-funded enterprises, a year-on-year increase of nearly 8%, with actual utilized foreign capital exceeding USD 220 million. The city leads the region in both the number of new foreign enterprises and the scale of foreign capital utilization. From manufacturing to services, and from traditional industries to emerging sectors, foreign-funded enterprises have become a vital force in Nanning's economic development. Why do these companies choose Nanning, and how are they faring? A recent visit to Guangxi Swire Coca-Cola Beverages Co., Ltd., which has been rooted in Nanning for over 30 years, provided some insights.

Operating at full capacity with robust production and sales, the company exemplifies stable development in the city. Its production lines churn out 55,200 plastic bottles, 24,000 glass bottles, 24,000 cans, and 36,000 juice units per hour. Currently operating 10 production lines in Nanning with an annual capacity exceeding 700,000 tons, the company's sales network covers the entire region. "Since the beginning of this year, the company's production and operations have shown steady improvement. We have completed a multi-million-yuan upgrade of our RGB glass bottle production line, with first-quarter output value increasing over 30% year-on-year," said Song Xinyao, Public Affairs and Communications Manager at Guangxi Swire Coca-Cola Beverages. The company introduced new products in March, including Sprite Tea, the Coca-Cola Prebiotic series, and functional beverage Monster Ultra Violet, to meet diverse consumer preferences.

Established in Nanning in 1993 as one of the autonomous region's first key investment projects, the company has grown substantially over three decades. Its product portfolio now spans more than ten brands—including sodas, juices, water, tea, and coffee—offering hundreds of varieties. Ranked 18th among Nanning's top 30 manufacturing enterprises in 2025, it continues to lead Guangxi's beverage market, demonstrating the stability of foreign enterprises in the region. "We were attracted by the location advantages, supportive policies, and quality services here. Guangxi offers substantial consumer potential, a superior business environment, and a complete industrial chain, providing a stable foundation for foreign enterprises and reinforcing our confidence in long-term development," Song explained. The company has received support from various government levels, including the autonomous region, Nanning City, and Nanning High-tech Zone, helping resolve issues related to land and electricity while benefiting from tax incentives. "These concrete measures reduce operational costs, enabling us to confidently convert investments into profits, which in turn fuels further reinvestment and local growth."

The company has evolved from a traditional factory into a benchmark enterprise through intelligent manufacturing upgrades. In its smart production workshop, robotic arms move deftly alongside high-speed automated lines, with visual equipment monitoring each step from raw material input to finished product. Managers in the control room track production efficiency and energy consumption per minute and hour for each line, using this data for operational analysis to enhance efficiency and cut costs. A leader in green development and smart manufacturing, the company was recognized as a National Green Factory and a Guangxi Industrial Leader in 2021, a Core Enterprise in Autonomous Region-level Green Supply Chain Management in 2022, a Guangxi Intelligent Manufacturing Benchmark Enterprise in 2024—achieving 100% green electricity usage—and one of Nanning's first "Zero-Waste Factories" in 2025. "In recent years, we have continuously upgraded our intelligent and digital capabilities. A production line that previously required a team of 15 now needs only 5 or 6 people," Song noted. By establishing a digital management system covering the entire value chain and deploying smart production, intelligent logistics, and safety control applications, the company has leapfrogged from traditional to smart manufacturing, achieving industry-leading digitalization.

Since its opening in 2005, the Guangxi Swire Coca-Cola Museum has hosted over a million visitors. Housing approximately 600 Coca-Cola collectibles from around the world—including more than 20 with regional characteristics and various crossover series with gaming, AI, and sports—it serves as an important platform for public engagement. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the company plans to increase investment in Nanning, advancing digital, intelligent, and green upgrades, optimizing its product matrix, and enhancing supply chain and talent systems. It aims to capitalize on opportunities from Guangxi-ASEAN cooperation to sustain growth, improve quality, and expand contributions, striving to become a model for high-quality foreign investment in Nanning.

Nanning's convenient services have significantly enhanced the experience for foreign enterprises. Leveraging its strategic position for ASEAN cooperation, the city has strengthened foreign investment promotion and optimized services for foreign-funded enterprises, achieving quality and efficiency improvements in foreign capital utilization. Core indicators consistently lead the region, with more international enterprises thriving in Nanning, creating a vibrant "industrial rainforest." The Essilor (Nanning) Special Materials Project, introduced in 2024, is the city's only manufacturing project from an EU country in recent years. Upon completion, it will become French group Essilor's largest production base in South China, integrating into Nanning's paper and chemical new materials industrial chains alongside companies like Nanning Sun Paper. The Asahi Intecc Medical Device Production Base Project, introduced in 2025, focuses on Class III medical devices such as neurovascular guidewires and catheters, filling gaps in Nanning's and Guangxi's medical device industry chain. Noteworthy for its same-year signing, capital injection, and construction start, it sets a benchmark for foreign project implementation.

"Nanning is committed to optimizing the business environment for foreign investment, implementing plans to stabilize foreign capital, and utilizing mechanisms like the foreign enterprise roundtable and the 'one specialist, two lists' service model. We promote profit reinvestment tax credits and leverage the institutional advantages of the Guangxi Pilot Free Trade Zone Nanning Area, introducing China's most lenient QFLP management measures with the shortest approval times, coupled with rewards of up to CNY 1 million per project for fund operation teams," explained Huang Hui, Director of the Municipal Investment Promotion Bureau and concurrently Director of the Municipal Park Office. Sixteen Qualified Foreign Limited Partnership (QFLP) funds have been established in Nanning, totaling over USD 2.7 billion, with QFLP accounting for over 55% of the city's actual utilized foreign capital in 2025, making it the primary channel for foreign investment. Additionally, Nanning has introduced special policies for foreign investment in the AI industry, supporting ASEAN-based enterprises or teams in the Nanning A Center with startup funds, housing, and promotion assistance. This has attracted Sino-foreign joint ventures like Guangtong Chenzhong Sino-Vietnamese (Guangxi) Company and Laos Suxin. Open and inviting, Nanning continues to attract global partners to put down roots and grow together toward a shared future.