NANNING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The 13th China-ASEAN Forum on Social Development and Poverty Reduction opened Wednesday in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Over 200 government officials, scholars and business representatives from China and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) attended the event, discussing and sharing innovative practices in realizing the UN sustainable development goals.

China is willing to join ASEAN countries to promote social development and poverty reduction in a more active, practical and efficient way, said Chen Zhigang, deputy head of China's State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

More than 400 anti-poverty officials from over 70 countries have visited Guangxi since 2007, while several international poverty reduction demonstration projects were launched as part of the cooperation projects, said Chen Wu, chairman of the regional government.

After the two-day forum, delegates will visit Long'an County under Nanning, the regional capital, to have a close look at local poverty alleviation industries.