Aerial view of a corner of the 12th China International Garden Expo. (Photo: expo2018.net.cn)

NANNING, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The 12th China International Garden Expo opened in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Thursday.

The event, which will last for six months, has attracted 44 Chinese cities as well as 19 cities from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and countries along the Belt and Road routes to take part, according to the expo's organizing committee.

The location of the event is near Dingsi Mountain, about 12 km southeast of Nanning. The committee said the original landforms and water systems in the area have been fully maintained as "no hills have been removed, no lakes filled and no trees cut" during the construction of the park.

The expo aims to become a comprehensive international platform for showcasing urban construction and new concepts, technology and products related to city development, said Wang Menghui, minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.