Pinglu Canal: A Century-Old Canal Dream, Connecting Southwest China to the World

Pinglu Canal: A Century-Old Canal Dream, Connecting Southwest China to the WorldIntroductionChina's infrastructure construction has once again received major news, with the official commencement of the second super canal the Pinglu Canal, with an investment of 72.73 billion yuan

Pinglu Canal: A Century-Old Canal Dream, Connecting Southwest China to the World

Introduction

China's infrastructure construction has once again received major news, with the official commencement of the second super canal the Pinglu Canal, with an investment of 72.73 billion yuan. This ambitious project will not only inject new vitality into the southwest region, but will also redefine China's inland waterway transportation pattern, connecting the southwest to the world. However, to achieve this ambitious goal, the construction of the Pinglu Canal requires difficult choices, including the demolition of 15 bridges along the route, sparking heated discussions in society. Is this a necessary bridge demolition for canal construction, or a waste of valuable resources? Is the construction of the Pinglu Canal truly worth such massive investment and changes? This article will delve into the story behind the Pinglu Canal, revealing its necessity, the challenges it faces, and its significant meaning for the future development of the southwest region and even all of China.

A Millennial Canal Dream: From the Grand Canal to the Pinglu Canal

China boasts the oldest and longest canal in the world the Grand Canal. This north-south waterway artery has witnessed the rise and fall of Chinese civilization, playing a crucial role in China's historical development. However, the Grand Canal primarily concentrates on the eastern regions, failing to meet the needs of all regions in vast China. Especially in the southwest region, due to its complex terrain and topography, transportation is inconvenient, severely restricting economic development.

To address this issue, as early as the beginning of the 20th century, Sun Yat-sen, a pioneer of the Chinese revolution, proposed constructing a new canal in Guangxi, connecting the Pearl River, the West River, and the Beibu Gulf to achieve a new breakthrough in the southwest region's economic development.

With China's continuous strengthening of its national strength, this century-old dream finally saw the light of day. In August 2019, the National Development and Reform Commission issued the Overall Plan for the Western Land-Sea New Corridor, bringing the concept of the Pinglu Canal back to the surface and incorporating it into national major strategies. This decision marked the official entry of the Pinglu Canal construction into the substantive stage.

Determined to Climb the Green Mountains: The Difficult Start of the Pinglu Canal

On March 17, 2022, the Pinglu Canal project was officially approved, marking the official commencement of construction of China's second super canal. However, from concept to implementation, the journey of this canal was not smooth.

The Pinglu Canal route traverses undulating mountains with significant elevation differences, posing extremely high demands on engineering design due to the complex terrain and geological conditions. After repeated deliberation, the project team finally determined the optimal route that could both meet navigation requirements and maximize ecological environment protection.

On August 28, 2022, the Pinglu Canal finally officially broke ground. This day is destined to be recorded in the annals of China's water conservancy construction history.

Bridge Demolition for Canal Construction: Difficult Decisions and Profound Impacts

The most controversial decision in the construction of the Pinglu Canal is the demolition of 15 bridges spanning rivers. Some of these bridges were newly built, such as Yongfu Bridge, Zicai Bridge, and Jinhaiwan Bridge.

This decision, once announced, immediately caused a stir locally. Many citizens were puzzled: why demolish these brand-new bridges? Isn't this a waste of resources?

However, decision-makers had a more long-term vision. If these bridges were not demolished, the Pinglu Canal would not be able to achieve the standard of accommodating large vessels exceeding 5000 tons, severely limiting the canal's transportation capacity and economic benefits.

The Pinglu Canal is a national strategic project, aiming to create a new engine for economic development in the southwest region, with significance far exceeding the existence of one or several bridges. Therefore, demolishing some bridges is merely to achieve a greater goal opening up water transport channels in the southwest region and promoting regional economic development.

Facing doubts, Wang Zhiqiang (pseudonym), the project leader, explained: We fully understand the citizens' concerns. However, we must focus on long-term development. While the demolition of these bridges will bring short-term inconvenience, in the long run, the Pinglu Canal will bring enormous economic benefits to the entire southwest region, far outweighing the cost of demolition. To minimize disruptions to citizens' daily lives, the project team formulated detailed transitional plans, promising to construct 16 more modern bridges with higher traffic capacity while demolishing old bridges. These new bridges will not only meet current traffic needs but also reserve space for future development.

Tianjing Sets Sail: Another Breakthrough in Chinese Engineering Technology

The construction of the Pinglu Canal relies heavily on the support of China's advanced technology. Among them, the introduction of the Tianjing extra-large self-propelled trailing suction dredger significantly improved construction efficiency.

Tianjing is known as the canal construction artifact, capable of dredging in water depths of 20 meters, with an operating efficiency exceeding that of ordinary dredgers by more than 10 times. Its emergence greatly enhanced the efficiency of canal excavation, laying a solid foundation for the successful completion of the Pinglu Canal.

Apart from Tianjing, the construction of the Pinglu Canal also employs numerous advanced technologies, such as digital twin technology which is widely applied in the design, construction, and future operation and management of the canal. This technology can create virtual models of the canal, enabling real-time monitoring and precise control, significantly improving project safety and efficiency.

Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains are Invaluable Assets: The Pinglu Canal's Path to Ecological Protection

The construction of the Pinglu Canal considers not only economic benefits but also ecological environmental protection. The project team formulated a strict environmental protection plan, striving to minimize the impact of canal construction on the surrounding ecological environment.

The plan stipulates that a 1-kilometer-wide ecological corridor should be reserved along the canal route, protecting the existing 36 natural river channels and ecological areas. At the same time, specific protection measures should be developed for the local fish habitat and migration routes.

Zhang Li (pseudonym), an ecological expert on the project team, explained: Our goal is not only to avoid damaging the existing ecology, but also to improve the ecological quality of the entire region through scientific planning and management. For example, we will construct fish ladders in appropriate locations to ensure normal fish migration. We also plan to plant vegetation suitable for the local climate along the route to increase green cover. Furthermore, the project team introduced an advanced water quality monitoring system to monitor the canal water quality in real time, ensuring that the canal does not become a source of pollution.

These measures fully embody the concept of Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, demonstrating China's emphasis on ecological environmental protection while promoting economic development.

Looking Ahead: The Significance and Impact of the Pinglu Canal

According to the plan, the main body of the Pinglu Canal will be completed by December 2026, and the entire river-sea intermodal transport system will be fully constructed by 2050. At that time, this new golden waterway will become a crucial link connecting the southwest region of China with the world, injecting new vitality into this land.

The construction of the Pinglu Canal is a microcosm of China's pursuit of regional coordinated development in a new era. It is not merely a waterway but a link connecting history and the future. Through this project, we witness China's determination and capability in infrastructure construction, ecological protection, and regional development.

The completion of the Pinglu Canal will bring the following positive impacts:

• Promoting economic development in the southwest region: The Pinglu Canal will create an efficient waterway transportation channel for the southwest region, reducing logistics costs and promoting regional economic development.

• Driving industrial restructuring: The Pinglu Canal will attract new industrial investment to the southwest region, driving industrial restructuring and improving regional economic competitiveness.

• Improving ecological environment: The construction of the Pinglu Canal will promote ecological environmental protection along the route, enhancing the ecological quality of the region.

• Elevating regional transportation hub status: The Pinglu Canal will further elevate the transportation hub status of the southwest region, providing stronger impetus for regional economic development.

• Strengthening regional cooperation: The construction of the Pinglu Canal will promote cooperation between the southwest region and other regions, fostering joint development.

Conclusion

The construction of the Pinglu Canal is a microcosm of China's pursuit of regional coordinated development in a new era, a link connecting history and the future. Although the path is arduous, we have reason to believe that with the completion of the Pinglu Canal, the southwest region of China will usher in new development opportunities and write a more glorious chapter.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is sourced from the internet. The copyright of the text, images, and other materials belongs to the original author. The platform reprints the materials for the purpose of conveying more information. The content of the article is for reference and learning only, and should not be used for commercial purposes. If it infringes on your legitimate rights and interests, please contact us promptly and we will handle it as soon as possible! We respect copyright and are committed to protecting it. Thank you for sharing.(Email:[email protected])