On September 16, Chinese Communist Party official media announced that the Pinglu Canal, connecting Hengzhou in Nanning with Beibu Gulf, has officially opened to navigation. Construction of the canal began on August 28, 2022. With a total length of 134.2 kilometers, it is a Class I inland waterway capable of accommodating 5,000-ton vessels. The total volume of earth and rock excavation reached 315 million cubic meters, and it is touted as setting four world records.