A new 767-kilometre-long canal linking the inland rare earth hub of Jiangxi province with the eastern coastal powerhouse of Zhejiang has officially been included in the government’s agenda, according to a recently released policy document, as the Chinese government steps up efforts to expand its inland waterway network.
In an action plan released in early May, the Zhejiang provincial government said it would begin to “plan and advance” the canal’s construction, aiming to turn the province into a national leader in inland water transport by 2035.
If completed, the canal would connect Jiangxi province – a growing manufacturing hub for electric vehicles with abundant rare earth and copper reserves – to seaports in Zhejiang, one of China’s wealthiest provinces.
Planned as a Class III waterway, the canal would be able to accommodate 1,000-tonne vessels, according to Ministry of Transport guidelines. Once operational, it could handle around 25 million tonnes of cargo annually, the ministry said.
