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E-mail China.org.cn, July 7, 2024
Cover News:
As mentioned earlier, the Pinglu Canal is under construction and serves as the backbone project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. What progress has been made with the construction of the project currently and how will Guangxi ensure the successful construction of this canal? Thank you.
Lan Tianli:
I would like to invite Mr. Xu to answer it.
Xu Yongke:
Thank you for your questions. As Mr. Lan introduced earlier, the Pinglu Canal, with a total investment of approximately 72.7 billion yuan, will be primarily completed by the end of 2026 and is expected to handle ships of up to 5,000 metric tons. Currently, more than half of the earthworks have been excavated, with nearly half of the investment utilized. Construction is progressing smoothly in all aspects. For this canal, I would like to introduce it in three sentences: First, "a river of spring water flows southward." Guangxi boasts a well-developed water system with approximately 80% of its water flowing into the Xijiang River before surging eastward into the sea. The Pinglu Canal, cutting through mountains and heading southward to the sea, will fundamentally change the current situation in Guangxi, where coastal areas lack direct river access to the sea. Second, "light boats easily pass through myriad mountains." In the southwestern region of China, where mountains are densely packed, transportation and logistics costs are high. According to estimates, goods from the southwestern region exported via the Pinglu Canal will shorten the distance by approximately 560 kilometers compared to the current waterway route. This is expected to further reduce transportation time and logistics costs. Third, "directing sails toward the vast sea." We are synchronously planning and constructing the Pinglu Canal Economic Belt to foster the concentrated growth of industries near ports, including petrochemicals, equipment manufacturing and new metallic materials. Once the canal is completed, 5,000-ton vessels can directly navigate from inland ports along the Xijiang River to coastal ports in China and major ports in Southeast Asia, enhancing connectivity between domestic and international markets.
Next, we will continue to adhere to the principles of "connecting rivers and reaching the sea, comprehensive planning, one-time completion and systematic operations." We will fully leverage the supervisory roles of expert teams for quality project inspection, green project inspection as well as clean project supervision and guidance. With high standards and quality, we will construct high-quality, environmentally friendly and corruption-free projects. In terms of high-quality projects, we are accelerating the construction of the world's largest inland water-saving ship lock, boasting the highest water transmission efficiency with a water-saving rate exceeding 60%. We are also creating an integrated smart canal system for construction, management and maintenance, achieving a real-time overview of the canal, intelligent control and scheduling, and one-touch access to logistics services. Moreover, we are intensifying research and application efforts focused on sustainable critical materials, aiming to establish projects characterized by long-lasting quality and safety. In terms of green projects, we are rigorously implementing environmental protection as well as soil and water conservation measures, aiming to achieve comprehensive utilization and balance of earthworks while maintaining a modest profit margin. We are striving to construct a green ecological canal characterized by smooth rivers, clear water, fish swimming, green banks, beautiful scenery and low carbon emissions. For instance, last year, we deployed the state-of-the-art "Tianjing" cutter-suction dredger to participate in the construction of the Pinglu Canal. Besides expediting project progress, our primary focus was environmental protection, aiming to minimize the impact on marine life in the operating area and the stability of embankments and adjacent slopes. In terms of clean projects, we are committed to strengthening supervision and guidance, focusing on key aspects, such as project bidding, funding support and conducting ongoing inspections.
With the river thriving, a myriad of industries will flourish. We believe that after the completion of the canal, it will undoubtedly present a grand scene of "one river connecting all parts of Guangxi to the sea."
Thank you.
