From October 20 to 22, along the banks of Shanghai's Huangpu River, the 2026 Sustainable Global Leaders Conference returns once again. Nobel laureates and Turing Award winners will take the stage to discuss the future and trends of technology, and the popular professor who "rescues" people from anxiety and the era of involution—Macfarlane and Xiang Biao—will hold a live dialogue!
Seats are limited, so act fast. Let us join together for a sustainable appointment! [Click to register] Nanning, October 15 (Reporter Yang Chen) — The Pinglu Canal, which is about to mark one full month since opening to navigation, is being held in high expectations by the agricultural sectors of China and ASEAN.
As the longest inland river canal since the founding of New China, the Pinglu Canal opened to navigation along its entire line on September 16 this year, directly opening up a major river-sea intermodal corridor from the interior of Guangxi to the Beibu Gulf. What was once the most remote outlet to the sea in southwestern China has leaped to become an open frontier connecting rivers and seas.
The photo shows various types of vessels waiting to pass through the ship lock at the Madao hub of the Pinglu Canal. (File photo) Photo provided by Pinglu Canal Group. For the agricultural sector, this change is especially direct. Tropical fruits produced by ASEAN, such as durian and mangosteen, can quickly enter Guangxi by land and then be transported via the canal to the interior of southwestern and central China; Guangxi's "Gui-brand" agricultural products, such as Wogan oranges and kumquats, can also use the canal to reach the sea at low cost and move toward ASEAN and even global markets.
As the first international agricultural professional exhibition held in Guangxi after the Pinglu Canal opened to navigation, the 2026 Guangxi International Agricultural Expo (hereinafter referred to as the Agricultural Expo) will be held in Nanning from October 23 to 25. During the exhibition, the two-way circulation pattern of "produced by ASEAN, distributed by Guangxi, sold nationwide" will, for the first time, have the support of a physical canal, and will also, for the first time, be concentrated, presented, negotiated, and signed on an exhibition platform.
A fruit trader who has participated in the exhibition for three consecutive years told reporters that after the canal opened to navigation, the logistics timeliness and overall costs from ASEAN orchards to cities in southwestern China improved significantly. "Coming to the exhibition this year, we are not only looking at products, but also at corridors, at the bigger picture, and at long-term cooperation."
The reshaping of logistics corridors has also brought ASEAN countries' enthusiasm for participation to a high point. At this year's Agricultural Expo, companies from many ASEAN countries will appear and focus on displaying their distinctive agricultural products, advantageous breeding varieties, and cross-border trade resources. From Thailand's durian to Vietnam's coffee to Indonesia's spices, the rich products of Southeast Asia will reach Chinese buyers directly through the Agricultural Expo platform.
Unlike the previous display logic of "exhibiting only, not selling," ASEAN exhibitors this year generally come with clear procurement and cooperation demands. They hope not only to introduce their countries' products into the Chinese market more smoothly, but also to connect with supply chains, logistics providers, and channel partners in Guangxi and even southwestern China. At the same time, many ASEAN countries will also send professional buyers to attend. They are not only looking for high-quality Chinese agricultural products, agricultural inputs, agricultural machinery, and food processing equipment at the exhibition, but also turning their eyes to production bases in Guangxi.
During the exhibition, the organizing committee will specially arrange traceability inspection activities. Overseas merchants can go into the fields to see varieties on site, verify production capacity, and discuss long-term supply. In addition, during the Agricultural Expo, the China (Guangxi)-ASEAN Fruit Industry High-Quality Development Conference will be held at the same time. Industry representatives from major ASEAN fruit-producing countries, cross-border logistics companies, traders, and domestic experts will hold dialogues on topics such as facilitation of cross-border fruit customs clearance, cold-chain warehousing systems, and brand co-building.
As the guest province of honor at this year's Agricultural Expo, Hainan Province will bring its high-quality agricultural enterprises, distinctive agricultural products, and trade service resources for a concentrated appearance. At that time, the policy dividends of the Hainan Free Trade Port, such as zero tariffs, low tax rates, convenient customs clearance, and free cross-border capital flows, will form a clear complementarity with Guangxi's land corridors facing ASEAN and the river-sea intermodal advantages of the Pinglu Canal, providing new options for domestic and foreign agricultural enterprises: raw materials can enter from ASEAN via Guangxi, complete free trade port processing and brand operations in Hainan, and then be marketed nationwide and even globally.
Guangxi will also use this as a bond to jointly write a new story of cross-border agricultural product circulation with ASEAN countries.
Comments