Major canal for China south west opens today

Hailed as a landmark "project of the century," the Pinglu Canal in Guangxi opened for full navigation today.

The first batch of 30 cargo ships entered the Pinglu Canal this morning, mainly carrying building materials, coal, and minerals. Four passenger waterway routes were also launched simultaneously.

Spanning a total length of 134.2 kilometers, the Pinglu Canal is a flagship project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. It runs from Pingtang River Mouth in Guangxi, along the Qinjiang River, directly to the Beibu Gulf. With navigation now open, cargo from Southwest China traveling to sea via the Pinglu Canal cuts the shipping distance by about 560 kilometers compared to traditional routes, saving over 5 billion RMB in transportation costs annually.