NANNING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to capitalize on its advantages and play a bigger role in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Guangxi should make full use of its geographical location and the potential of coastlines, rivers and border areas to promote opening up, Xi said during a visit to the south China region from Wednesday to Friday.

At Tieshan Port in Guangxi's Beihai city, Xi learned about trade cooperation between Guangxi and ASEAN countries through ports and economic zones and spoke highly of the port's prospects.

The president stressed the role of ports in the Maritime Silk Road development, urging sound management and operation of the ports on Beibu Gulf to make bigger contribution to Guangxi's development and the Belt and Road Initiative.

"The Belt and Road Initiative accords with the will of the people, and we should advance opening up and development under the framework," he told workers at the port.