China close to opening US$10 billion canal linking heartlands to Southeast Asia

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Carol YangJanuary 26, 2026 at 04:00 PM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

China is nearing completion of the $10.4 billion Pinglu Canal by the end of 2024, a 134km waterway connecting Nanning in Guangxi to the Gulf of Tonkin. The canal, China's first major canal in centuries, will provide southwestern provinces with direct access to global shipping lanes, facilitating trade with Southeast Asia. The project, which is 89.7% complete, includes infrastructure to accommodate 5,000-tonne vessels, including shiplock hubs and bridges. Preparations for opening the canal to shipping traffic are scheduled to begin in May, with the canal expected to be operational by the end of 2026.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Guangxi Daily 35% Qinjiang River 40% China National Radio 40% Beibu Gulf 50% Gulf of Tonkin 60% Nanning 60% Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 65% Southeast Asia ×270% China ×490% Pinglu Canal ×395%

Keywords

pinglu canal 100% china 90% southeast asia 80% trade links 70% shipping lanes 60% infrastructure project 50% waterway 50% economic development 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.40

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Pinglu Canal

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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pinglu canal china southeast asia trade links shipping lanes infrastructure project waterway economic development

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