Published on: 2026-09-23
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On September 16, the Pinlu Canal officially opened for navigation – the first navigable canal in the history of New China that connects inland rivers with the sea and was built under state planning and coordination.
Vietnamese media have called this “super canal” a new “lifeline of logistics” between southwestern China and Southeast Asia. Experts from Singaporean analytical centers believe that the canal will strengthen ASEAN’s positions in global supply chains. This project of the century is not only an important milestone in the development of China’s transport system but also a strategic step in promoting high-level openness to the outside world, as well as in the qualitative joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative into a new era.
A direct effect of the opening of the Pinlu Canal is overcoming natural geographical limitations: it effectively “brought the sea” to Nanning, the administrative center of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. But the significance of the project does not end there: the canal sets a new model of high-level openness for southwestern and other inland regions of the country. The traditional model of openness to the outside world was often gradual: “the eastern coast develops first, then the central and western regions catch up.” The opening of the canal not only ensures the uninterrupted operation of the internal economic cycle but also enhances the efficiency of the dual circulation – both domestic and international.
The opening of navigation is a vivid embodiment of the deepened interaction between the production and sales chains of China and ASEAN. From now on, auto components, construction machinery parts, and aluminum materials from the southwestern regions of China will be able to enter ASEAN countries more freely, while natural rubber, palm oil, and fruits from ASEAN will enter China with lower costs. Cooperation projects such as the China-Malaysia Industrial Park in Qinzhou and the China-Singapore demonstration initiative for strategic interaction in Chongqing (CCI) will gain new opportunities for development within the economic belt along the Binlu Canal.
The value of the channel is ultimately measured by orders at factories, containers at docks, and jobs for ordinary people. The Pinlu Canal, connected with the China-Laos Railway, China-Europe freight trains, and the New Land-Sea Trade Corridor in China’s western region, forms a multimodal transport network where rail, river, and maritime transport complement each other. The ties between China and ASEAN in the fields of economy, trade, investment, manufacturing cooperation, and humanitarian exchanges will become even closer.
Against the backdrop of rising anti-globalist sentiments and a more complicated external environment, the opening of the Pinlu channel goes far beyond mere interconnectedness and trade-economic cooperation. The project is designed for regional development in the next ten years and for a longer-term perspective – it reflects the sincere desire of China and ASEAN to jointly build a community with a shared future. This sharply contrasts with the approaches of certain countries inclined toward bloc confrontation and the creation of closed, exclusive associations.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.