Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, announced plans on March 13 to leverage its strategic geographical advantage facing ASEAN countries. During the "16th Five-Year Plan" period, the city will fully implement an "AI + Manufacturing" initiative to establish industrial clusters specializing in artificial intelligence and next-generation information technologies.
Zhang Li, Director of Nanning's Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, stated that the city will promote the integration of digital and intelligent technologies across various industries. Efforts will focus on key industrial chains such as semiconductors, computers and network communications, smart terminals, and new displays. The goal is to accelerate the extension, supplementation, and strengthening of these chains to form a closed-loop industrial ecosystem.
In recent years, Nanning has accelerated the development of an innovation hub oriented toward ASEAN. The city has established two national-level specialized clusters for SMEs—one in aluminum deep processing and another in smart terminal chips—along with six advanced manufacturing clusters in Guangxi, including intelligent connected new energy vehicles. Leading companies such as 360 and Qi-Anxin have set up operations in the city, while local firms like Zhipingfang and Maiyue Technology have launched their first batches of robots and smart terminal products. Runjian's "Quchi Operation and Maintenance Large Model" marked Guangxi's first breakthrough in large AI models.
Nanning has achieved multiple innovations in industrial technology, with the agglomeration effect of digital and intelligent industries becoming increasingly evident. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the city introduced and established 29 new R&D institutions, cultivated 118 autonomous region-level smart manufacturing benchmark enterprises, smart factories, and digital workshops, and founded the Guangxi Artificial Intelligence College. The China (Nanning)–ASEAN Standardized AI Intelligent Chain Platform has also been launched.
It has been reported that Nanning will accelerate the construction of the China–ASEAN National Artificial Intelligence Application Cooperation Center (also referred to as the "Nanning AI Center"). Projects such as the Nanning-ASEAN Valley and the China–ASEAN Trusted Data Zone for AI will be developed to create demonstration zones for AI application scenarios. These initiatives aim to promote "Nanning Intelligence" and "Nanning Standards" across ASEAN markets.