This aerial photo taken on Aug. 7, 2023 shows a view of Kunming Dianchi International Convention and Exhibition Center, the venue for the seventh China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

A total of 338 projects with an investment of 404 billion yuan (about 55.5 billion U.S. dollars) were signed on Thursday during the seventh China-South Asia Exposition and the 27th China Kunming Import and Export Fair, held in the city of Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The investment projects focused on key industries in Yunnan, such as modern agriculture with plateau characteristics, green energy, advanced manufacturing, cultural tourism, and health care.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta region, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the country's major regional growth drivers, still remain to be the main forces of investment in Yunnan. Prominent enterprises from these powerhouse regions are driving Yunnan's economic growth, capitalizing on the province's strategic location and rich resources and poising to invigorate Yunnan's journey towards high-quality development.

The five-day expo that opened Wednesday has attracted more than 30,000 exhibitors, representatives, and guests from 85 countries and regions to attend online and offline, with various kinds of events, such as a cooperation forum and a business forum, scheduled to be held.

Over the past ten years, the expo has witnessed closer ties between China and South Asia, with the trade volume between China and South Asian countries doubling.