uNANNING, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is aiming for 7 percent in economic growth this year, according to Chen Wu, chairman of the autonomous regional government.

Based on preliminary estimates, Guangxi's gross domestic product grew by 6.8 percent year on year in 2018, said Chen while delivering the regional government work report at the opening meeting of the annual session of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional People's Congress Saturday.

The region early last year set its 2018 GDP growth target between 7 percent and 7.5 percent.

Chen highlighted new momentum in Guangxi's young but fast-growing high-tech industry and advanced manufacturing, whose added value rose by 11.6 percent and 12.8 percent, respectively, in the past year.

The region's export also grew by 14.6 percent last year.

Guangxi, with the largest ethnic minority population in China, is at the forefront of the country's anti-poverty campaign. It aims to reduce the poverty-stricken rural population by 1.05 million this year.

It is estimated that more than 1.15 million people bade farewell to poverty in 2018, according to the report.

The region has been reshaping its image from an economic backwater to a booming border trade hub, drawing strength from its sea and land links with Southeast Asia.

An important agricultural base that produces more than 60 percent of China's sugarcane, half of the silkworm cocoons and 45 percent of timber, Guangxi is also embracing fast industrialization in recent decades. It is now a major car manufacturing base in China, producing 2.4 million vehicles annually.