China's Pinglu Canal officially opens to navigation on Wednesday, giving southwest China a shortcut to the coast and overseas markets. The 134.2-kilometer waterway connects the Xijiang River shipping network with the Beibu Gulf in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Designed for vessels of up to 5,000 tonnes, the canal marks the completion of a major river-to-sea transport project, bringing together navigation engineering, ecological protection and regional logistics.
The canal was built at a cost of 72.7 billion yuan (about $10.75 billion).