China launches new canal, first of its kind since 1949, giving inland access to sea lanes

China officially opened its landmark Pinglu Canal to navigation on Wednesday, creating a new maritime gateway for the country’s southwestern hinterland and providing a shorter route to Southeast Asia as Beijing seeks to deepen trade with the region.

The 134.2km (83.4 mile) waterway links Nanning, the capital of the southern region of Guangxi, to the Gulf of Tonkin, known as the Beibu Gulf in China, allowing cargo from inland provinces to reach the sea without taking a roughly 560km detour via Guangzhou, cutting both transit times and logistics costs.

With the canal’s opening, two new freight routes have begun operation – an international route linking Nanning with Can Tho in Vietnam, and a domestic route connecting Nanning with Yangpu in southern Hainan province, according to state broadcaster CCTV.