What’s the Pinglu Canal, China’s new gateway to Southeast Asia?

Beijing, China – China is opening its first modern river-to-sea canal for navigation on Wednesday, a project that aims to dramatically cut down shipping distances between the country’s southern hinterland and Southeast Asia, a region that serves as a critical trade partner. The Pinglu Canal is located entirely in Guangxi, the region in China’s far south bordering Vietnam and overlooking the South China Sea. This 134km (83-mile) waterway links the Xijiang River with the Beibu Gulf, the northwestern arm of the Gulf of Tonkin stretching between southern China and northern Vietnam. It gives vast areas of southwest China, including provinces such as Yunnan and Guizhou, a shorter route to the sea and to Asian markets.