The Pinglu Canal, a flagship project of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor and a vital link connecting the Belt and Road Initiative, carries profound significance. It drives Guangxi's ambition to strengthen its maritime economy, accelerates development in the new era of China's western region, and supports the construction of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

Guangxi is leveraging a strategic framework centred on one main axis, dual-wing coordination, and integrated land-sea development. The region is building a leaf-vein style maritime industrial network with the Pinglu Canal Economic Belt at its core and other regional areas serving as supporting veins. By capitalising on the canal's role as a gateway, Guangxi is seizing RCEP policy dividends, improving customs clearance efficiency, and strengthening the China-ASEAN Industrial Cooperation Zone. At the same time, the region is proactively aligning with major national strategies, including the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and the Hainan Free Trade Port, to deepen cross-regional collaboration and better serve the new development paradigm through integrated land-sea coordination.

The Pinglu Canal, stretching 134.2 kilometres and constructed as a Class I inland waterway, is designed to accommodate vessels up to 5,000 tonnes. It is the first sea-reaching canal built under national-level coordination since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Construction commenced on 28 August 2022, with the canal officially opening to navigation on 16 September this year.

A panoramic aerial view captured on 4 September shows vessels participating in a comprehensive navigation drill entering the Qinzhou Water Service Area via the Pinglu Canal. The drill involved a full-element exercise under real-world conditions.

Further aerial photography taken on the same day highlights the Beibu Gulf Port Qinzhou Automated Container Terminal, a critical component of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor and the closest seaport to the Pinglu Canal. The terminal's advanced automation underscores Guangxi's commitment to modernising its port infrastructure.

At a wind power equipment manufacturer in Qinbei District, Qinzhou, staff were seen registering products on 3 September. The company simultaneously exports its products to overseas markets, reflecting the region's growing integration into global supply chains.

Elsewhere, workers at a petrochemical enterprise in the Qinzhou Port Economic Development Zone loaded products into containers on 4 September, highlighting the industrial activity flourishing along the canal's corridor.

A drone photograph taken the same day shows a corner of the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park, situated adjacent to both the Pinglu Canal and the Beibu Gulf Port, positioning it as a hub for cross-border trade and investment.

On 2 July 2026, aerial imagery captured the Nanning Wuxiang New Area, illustrating the urban and economic development spurred by the canal's construction. Subsequent drone photographs taken on 3 September 2026 further document the Beibu Gulf Port Qinzhou Automated Container Terminal's expansive operations.

On 7 September 2026, a Panamanian-flagged container vessel, the Beigang Nanning Borun, navigated upstream along the Pinglu Canal, marking the canal's role in facilitating international maritime trade.

Two days earlier, at the Liugong Excavator Smart Factory in Liuzhou, robots were performing production tasks for new energy vehicle batteries at the Nanning Qingxiu Industrial Park. Meanwhile, on 2 September, aerial and ground-level photographs documented the Liugong factory's production lines, with some products destined for overseas markets.

Finally, a drone photograph from 9 April showcases the Luorong Automobile Logistics Base in Liuzhou, where exported vehicles are loaded for transport to coastal ports, completing the logistics chain that connects inland manufacturing to global markets.