Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Wednesday underscored the importance of further opening up in China's western regions as Pinglu Canal, a trade shortcut to Southeast Asia, officially opened in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made his remarks at a ceremony in Qinzhou, announcing that after four years of hard work, Pinglu Canal has been completed and is open to navigation.

He emphasized that the opening of the canal should be seized as an opportunity to develop a first-class international gateway port at the Beibu Gulf, expand opening up in western regions, and contribute more significantly to building a new development pattern.

Built at a cost of 72.7 billion yuan (about $10.75 billion), the 134.2-kilometer-long Pinglu Canal links Nanning, capital of Guangxi, with the Beibu Gulf.

Ding also boarded a vessel to inspect navigation operations and ecological protection along the canal. He pointed out that Pinglu Canal, as key infrastructure for multimodal transport integrating river, rail and sea, is a backbone project of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor.

He called for sound operation and management and strengthening transport capacity support and cargo source organization, in order to fully leverage the advantages of coordinated maritime and land transport and internal and external connectivity. This will ensure the safe and efficient operation of this golden waterway linking inland areas and the sea, and achieve the organic unity of economic, social and ecological benefits, he added.

The canal provides key support for Guangxi in its efforts to utilize sea access and pursue open development, injecting new momentum into both enhanced connectivity between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road.