The Pinglu Canal, a major waterway linking inland areas of Southwest China with the sea, officially opened to navigation on Wednesday in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Spanning 134.2 kilometers, the canal connects the Xijiang River system, a significant inland shipping artery in southern China, with the Beibu Gulf, providing inland areas of Southwest China with more direct access to the sea.

This canal is China's first nationally planned canal since 1949, designed to grant inland waterways direct access to the sea.

Construction began on Aug 28, 2022, with a total investment of approximately 72.7 billion yuan ($10.83 billion). The canal is designed to accommodate vessels of up to 5,000 metric tons.

As a key component of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the canal offers a shorter water route from parts of Southwest China to the coast. For some cargo, it will reduce the inland shipping distance to the sea by more than 560 kilometers.

The new route also provides western China with more direct access to ports on the Beibu Gulf, strengthening transport links between inland areas and overseas markets.