The 14th People's Congress of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region opened its third session Monday in Nanning, with a focus on the ongoing construction of the Pinglu Canal.

Yang Bin, general manager of Pinglu Canal Group, told reporters during the session that 2025 will be a crucial year for the project. With a planned investment of 17 billion yuan ($2.3 billion), the goal is to complete the construction of the waterway by 2025.

The Pinglu Canal, the first direct river-to-sea canal project since the founding of the People's Republic of China, spans 134.2 kilometers and will accommodate 5,000-tonne ships upon completion in 2026.

"The Pinglu Canal holds immense economic and social value," said Yang. He emphasized that the canal's integration with the Beibu Gulf waterway network will enhance connectivity between domestic and international markets.

To ensure the canal's sustainable operation, Guangxi has drafted regulations for its protection and management, which are currently under review.

According to the Guangxi government work report released on the same day, the region's GDP is projected to grow by around 4.2 percent in 2024. The total volume of foreign trade imports and exports is expected to increase by 8.3 percent. The number of annual sea-rail intermodal train services on the new western land-sea corridor is set to surpass 10,000.