Aerial photo taken on Aug. 27, 2022 shows the Qinzhou port near the estuary of Pinglu Canal, in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The construction of the Pinglu Canal project officially kicked off on Sunday. The canal, stretching about 135 km, aims to link Xijiang River with ports in the Beibu Gulf.

Upon completion, the canal, starting from the Xijin reservoir in city of Hengzhou and ending at Luwu Town of Lingshan County, where ships could reach the Beibu Gulf via the Qinjiang River, will open a shorter route to the sea for Guangxi and other regions in southwest China. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)