Chinese and ASEAN youth gathered at the construction site of the Pinglu Canal in southern China to discuss the waterway's implications for regional connectivity and trade.
The event, titled "Dialogue with the World: Chinese and Foreign Youth on Opportunities in the Canal Era," took place on September 4 at the Pinglu Canal Construction Command in Qinzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
More than 30 journalists from media outlets in Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia and the Philippines attended, alongside experts in international trade and economics and youth media representatives from China and ASEAN countries.
The 134.2-km canal connects the Xijiang River with the Beibu Gulf and is a backbone project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. Designed to accommodate vessels of up to 5,000 tons, the canal is scheduled to open to navigation later this month, ahead of the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning.
The program included site visits to key sections of the canal, followed by a youth sharing session and a roundtable discussion.
The roundtable explored how the canal could reduce logistics costs, optimize industrial layout and deepen China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation. Participants also examined the role of youth in telling the canal's story and fostering people-to-people exchanges.
During the event, Chinese and ASEAN youth media representatives jointly offered a proposal for greater youth exchanges, enhanced collaboration on canal-themed reporting and stronger regional media cooperation.
Author | Feng Huiting
Photo | Feng Huiting
