The eighth China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) started here Friday as state and business leaders explore ways to boost regional growth and cooperation amid concerns over the faltering global economic recovery.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will give a speech at the opening ceremony of the summit, which is held in the southwestern city of Nanning in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen also attended the ceremony.

This year's summit takes "deepening regional cooperation for common prosperity" as its theme.

Earlier on Friday, Wen announced the opening of the eighth China-ASEAN Expo, which is scheduled to last from Oct. 21 to 26.

ASEAN is made up of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.