PHNOM PENH, Sept. 10 (FN) — Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Saturday led a group of senior officials and businessmen to attend the 13th ASEAN-China Expo in Nanning City, Southwestern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which will be held from Sept. 11 to 14, a senior official said.

"This is the ninth time that the prime minister joins the Expo, " Srey Thamarong, a minister attached to the prime minister, told reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport before leaving for Nanning. "This clearly reflects the prime minister's high attention to further enhancing ASEAN-China relations in general and Cambodia-China ties in particular."

The expo will be held under the theme "Building Maritime Silk Road of 21st Century."

Thamarong said the expo would be a good opportunity for Cambodia and ASEAN member states to showcase their products to international markets and to attract foreign investors, particularly Chinese ones, to their respective countries.

He said some 75 Cambodian companies will exhibit their products in 114 booths at the event.

According to the official, Hun Sen will also open the 1st Cambodia-China Trade and Investment Forum, to be held on Sept. 12 back-to-back with the expo.

Hun Sen's entourage included Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak, Secretary-General of the Council for the Development of Cambodia Sok Chenda Sophea, and other government officials, as well as a group of businessmen led by Kith Meng, President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce.

The prime minister will return to Cambodia on Sept. 12 in the afternoon.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.