One thing that I saw with my friend in Nanning was a museum dedicated to 铜鼓 (bronze drums), one of the symbols of the Guangzi Zhuang Autonomous Region.  There we learned about different ethnic minorities’ use of the drum and its casting and molding process.  After spending more time in Nanning, I began to see a 公式 (formula) written on posters wherever we went.  That formula was “10+1>11”, and it was referring to China’s cooperation with the 10 member nations of 东盟 (ASEAN) including countries like 泰国 (Thailand), 文莱 (Brunei), 老挝 (Laos), 柬埔寨 (Cambodia), and others.  One of the best ways to gauge a city’s development prospects for 投资 (investment) is to examine its 房地产 (real estate) markets.  What we saw after visiting the planned second city center for Nanning was a very 现代化 (modernized) development where consulates for ASEAN member nations will be located in addition to local government buildings and national businesses.  The city’s local government wants Nanning to be like another Shenzhen by 2020, so keep an eye out for developments there in the coming years. 

铜鼓 tong2gu3 – bronze drum
公式 gong1shi4 – formula, equation
东盟 dong1meng2 – ASEAN (association of Southeast Asian Nations)
泰国 tai4guo2 – Thailand
文莱 wen2lai2 – Brunei
老挝 lao3wo1 – Laos
柬埔寨 jian2(3)pu3zhai4 – Cambodia
投资 tou2zi1 – invest[ment]
房地产 fang2di4chan3 – real estate
现代化 xian4dai4hua4 – modernized