China's Pinglu Canal is no simple trench. It has a natural drop of about 65 meters that is tamed by three cascade locks, "water elevators" that lift vessels step by step into the Beibu Gulf.

Even the 315 million cubic meters of earth excavated to build the canal found new life: a Guangxi University team used it to grow more than 300 crop varieties. Watch the CGTN documentary "From Vision to Connection" to find out more.