The Pinglu Canal, China’s first national-level river-sea navigation waterway constructed since 1949, officially opened to traffic on Wednesday. The 134.2-kilometer canal connects Hengzhou in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to the Beibu Gulf, providing a maritime outlet for inland southwest China.
Designed to accommodate vessels up to 5,000 tonnes, the waterway is part of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. According to official reports, the canal reduces the shipping distance for cargo traveling from inland southwest China to the sea by more than 560 kilometers and is expected to lower logistics costs by 18 to 30 percent.
Proponents suggest the canal will facilitate trade between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by providing a more efficient route for commodities such as tropical fruits, minerals, and agricultural products. Experts noted that the infrastructure could support deeper industrial cooperation, allowing for the processing of raw materials and the distribution of Chinese manufactured goods, including new-energy vehicles and machinery, into Southeast Asian markets.
Zhang Hongshi, president of the Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences, stated that the canal offers an additional logistics option for maritime-reliant economies and complements existing infrastructure, such as the China-Laos Railway. Yu Hong, a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore, emphasized that the project’s success will depend on effective coordination regarding customs clearance, standardized vessel specifications, and digital logistics platforms.
Regional officials indicated that the canal is intended to serve as a hub for broader economic integration, connecting China and ASEAN with the Belt and Road Initiative. The project is expected to support port-side processing and cross-border logistics, potentially creating new employment opportunities along the trade route.
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