China Int'l Garden Expo in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo: Xinhua)

The 12th China International Garden Expo is being held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The event began on Thursday and will last for six months. So far, 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 have come to take part, according to the expo's organizing committee. 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.