China opens major river-to-sea canal, creating trade shortcut to Southeast Asia
China opened the Pinglu Canal on Wednesday, giving its southwestern hinterland a shortcut to the coast. It shortens the inland waterway journey for goods from southwest China to the sea by more than 560 kilometers. The canal could provide a new corridor for goods to flow in both directions between the vast markets of China and ASEAN.
Macro
30 years of partnership narrows China's regional divide
In 1996, China launched a pairing initiative linking coastal Fujian Province with landlocked Ningxia as part of the country's east-west poverty alleviation collaboration program. The east-west collaboration program is part of a broader national strategy to narrow regional development gaps and promote common prosperity. Through this model, the country has formed an all-round pattern of poverty alleviation and targeted support at various levels, providing a "Chinese solution" for countries around the world to address poverty.
In-depth
Economic Watch: China's power use surge spotlights industrial upgrading, emerging-sector momentum
China's electricity consumption exceeded 1 trillion kilowatt-hours again in August, with record peak load and much faster power demand growth in high-tech manufacturing and new-economy services, underscoring the economy's ongoing structural transformation.
moreEconomic Watch: China builds national computing network as key pillar of new infrastructure
As artificial intelligence (AI) and large-scale data processing reshape the global tech landscape, China is accelerating the construction of a nationwide computing power network as a cornerstone of the country's future infrastructure.
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Markets
China's high-tech FDI surges in first 8 months of 2026
China registered robust growth in foreign direct investment in high-tech industries during the first eight months of the year, despite a decline in overall inflows.
China's railway fixed-asset investment up 1.5 pct in first 8 months
China's railway construction maintained steady momentum in the first eight months of 2026, with significant progress made on a number of key projects.
