"Raw materials from ASEAN can enter China"s hinterland via the Beibu Gulf ports at lower costs, while Chinese exports including aluminum products and building materials can reach Southeast Asia more efficiently," Lei said.

　　Against the backdrop of deep industrial chain integration between China and Vietnam, the canal, which offers a low-cost, high-capacity transport route, is poised to foster new models of cross-border industrial capacity cooperation, said Lei.

　　When operational in September, the canal will give inland regions in Southwest China a more direct river route to the sea. Cargo that previously had to travel eastward through the Port of Guangzhou will be able to head south directly toward ports in the Beibu Gulf, shortening some inland waterway journeys by about 560 kilometers, according to Xinhua.

　　The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is an international trade and logistics network connecting China"s western regions to ASEAN countries and other overseas markets.

　　The corridor has continued to record strong trade growth. During the first half of 2026, imports and exports transported through the corridor by its participating regions reached 517.23 billion yuan, up 13 percent year-on-year and setting a new record for the same period, per data released by Chongqing municipal government.

　　The corridor"s rail service handled a record 1.425 million 20-foot equivalent units of cargo in 2025, up 47.6 percent year-on-year. As of early June of 2026, its network reached 593 ports in 128 countries and regions.