China Opens 134km Pinglu Canal to Boost Asian Trade
· World · Al Jazeera, globaltimes.cn
China has opened the 134km Pinglu Canal in Guangxi, linking the Xijiang River with the Beibu Gulf. The project, a part of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, aims to shorten shipping routes between inland provinces like Yunnan and Guizhou and Southeast Asian markets. Local authorities estimate the waterway will reduce travel distances by 560km and cut logistics costs by 18 to 30 percent. The canal was built at an estimated 72.7 billion yuan and can accommodate vessels with a capacity of 5,000 metric tonnes.
Why it matters
The canal significantly lowers transport costs for western China to reach global markets, potentially shifting trade dynamics within the Belt and Road Initiative.
Read the original report — Al Jazeera
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