China opens major Pinglu Canal, giving landlocked regions a shorter route to the sea and boosting regional trade

China inaugurated an extensive canal on September 16, granting landlocked regions direct access to the sea, state media reported. The 134-kilometre Pinglu Canal, constructed over four years, connects Nanning in Guangxi, a southern manufacturing hub, to the Gulf of Tonkin, bordering China and Vietnam. Previously, goods from southwestern China required transportation to Guangzhou, a southern metropolis, adding over 560 kilometres to their journey.

The new canal shortens the route, reduces transport costs by 18 to 30 percent, and yields annual savings of over five billion yuan in the sector, according to state news agency Xinhua. CCTV footage showcased the canal's inaugural barge and aerial views of ships sailing its calm waters, with the broadcaster dubbing it "the project of our century."

The canal establishes the shortest, most cost-effective, and convenient route to Southeast Asia, enhancing economic development. Particularly significant for rural areas in Sichuan, Chongqing, and Yunnan, which are less connected than eastern China's prosperous regions, the canal facilitates the shipment of coal, ore, cereals, chemicals, agricultural produce, and other materials to foreign markets more efficiently.

The majority of the canal's construction involved widening, deepening, and modifying existing waterways, while a small section required excavation. The project, initiated in August 2022, cost a total of 72.7 billion yuan.