Aerial view of the construction site of the Pinglu Canal. [Photo/China News Service]

The Pinglu Canal, a backbone project for the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, has begun construction, officials of the Transport Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region announced on May 23.

This 134.3 kilometer canal will stretch from the Pingtang River estuary of the Xijin Reservoir in Nanning's Hengzhou, where it will later merge with the Qinjiang River in Luwu town, Lingshan county, Qinzhou, and head towards the sea via Qinzhou's Shajing Port.

Construction will take 52 months and is scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2026 at a cost of 72.7 billion yuan ($10.3 billion). The project started in August 2022 and has finished a total investment of more than 10 billion yuan. 

Upon operation, the Pinglu Canal will connect the trunk line of the Xijiang River with the Beibu Gulf, thus providing a shorter water transportation route to the sea. 

The Transport Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region will supervise the construction of this project to make sure that it finishes its annual investment of 18 billion yuan.