Can the new Pinglu Canal become China’s ‘Yangtze of the southwest’?
Por Frank Chen — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement Infrastructure Economy China Economy Can the new Pinglu Canal become China’s Yangtze of the southwest?
The 134.2km waterway promises shorter routes to the sea and lower transport costs, potentially reshaping the fortunes of landlocked regions
3 -MIN READ 3 -MIN 1 Listen
Frank Chen in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Published: 11:00am, 18 Sep 2026 Updated: 11:19am, 18 Sep 2026
The opening of China’s first new river-to-sea canal since 1949 – which will boost trade links with Southeast Asia – could transform the economy of the country’s landlocked southwestern interior in ways comparable to the Yangtze’s role in Shanghai’s rise, according to its operator.
The 134.2km (83.4 mile) Pinglu Canal, which opened on Wednesday , links a major tributary of the Pearl River in the southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region with the Gulf of Tonkin, known as the Beibu Gulf in China, serving as a short cut for cargo moving between western China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
The project was prioritised to ease severe congestion at traditional logistics hubs and additional projects were already under way to maximise the waterway’s economic potential, the operator said.
Select Voice Select Speed 0.8x 0.9x 1.0x 1.1x 1.2x 1.5x 1.75x 00:00 00:00 1x AI-generated voice
