China’s new Pinglu Canal entered service as the country’s first river-to-sea canal on Wednesday. Built to handle ships of up to 5,000 tonnes, the infrastructure will shorten the transit distance from southwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to the sea by 560km (348 miles), bypassing ports in Guangdong province. By linking an expansive system of rivers and tributaries directly to the Gulf of Tonkin, the waterway provides landlocked areas across southern and southwestern China – such as Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces – with faster routes to Asean markets and international sea lanes.
Source: South China Morning Post
