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On September 16, 2026, the Pinglu Canal, a backbone project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in western China, was officially opened to navigation.

Project Overview

The canal, which began construction on August 28, 2022, spans 134.2 kilometers and represents a total investment of approximately 72.7 billion yuan. It is built to a Grade I inland waterway standard, capable of accommodating 5,000-tonne vessels, making it the highest-grade navigable canal in China.

The route runs from the Pingtang River mouth in the Xijin Reservoir area of Hengzhou, Nanning, southward through Luxu Town in Lingshan County, Qinzhou, and follows the Qin River to the Beibu Gulf. Three major cascade hubs—Madao, Qishi, and Qingnian—were constructed along the entire line to manage water levels and facilitate ship passage.

World Records

The project set four world records for canals of its kind:

  • Strongest navigation capacity among comparable canals worldwide
  • Fastest ship lock navigation speed among similar canals
  • Highest water-level drop for a water-saving ship lock
  • Largest scale for an inland river water-saving ship lock

The Madao Hub alone set two world records, featuring a water-saving ship lock system with the greatest water-level drop and the largest overall scale for an inland waterway. The hub also includes a 39.08-meter-tall "人"-shaped (herringbone) lock gate.

Strategic Significance

The Pinglu Canal serves as a critical link in the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, connecting the Xijiang River shipping route in the north with the Beibu Gulf in the south. It is China's first major river-to-sea canal project planned and coordinated at the national level since 1949.

Key strategic benefits include:

  • Shortened shipping distance: Cargo from southwestern China now reaches the sea via a route that is over 560 kilometers shorter than traditional paths, saving more than 5 billion yuan in transportation costs annually.
  • Reduced logistics costs: Logistics costs are projected to fall by 18 to 30 percent.
  • Enhanced connectivity: The canal creates a direct, southward waterway from China's southwestern hinterland to the Beibu Gulf, complementing existing eastward routes and providing a new open path toward ASEAN and global markets.
  • Economic integration: It links inland river networks, the southwestern railway system, and the Beibu Gulf port cluster, promoting multimodal transport and activating regional economic vitality.

Economic Impact

The canal is already reshaping logistics and investment decisions. Enterprises in inland cities such as Liuzhou are using the new waterway to export automobiles, engineering machinery, and new energy batteries to Vietnam and other ASEAN markets. Along the canal route, new industrial projects are being developed, including a green materials production base in Long'an County that relies on water transport for importing bauxite from Africa and exporting products.

On the day of opening, 30 cargo ships passed through the canal, with goods including containers, building materials, coal, minerals, steel, and fertilizer. Two new freight routes were also launched: an international route from Nanning to Can Tho, Vietnam, and a domestic route from Nanning to Yangpu, Hainan. Four waterborne passenger routes were simultaneously opened.

The Pinglu Canal is expected to play a vital role in advancing China's western development strategy and building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.