August 8 (Report) — The reporter learned from Guangxi Pinglu Canal Construction Co., Ltd. that as of August 7, the Pinglu Canal construction had completed an investment of approximately 37.346 billion yuan and excavated 217 million cubic meters of earth and rock. Although less than half of the construction period has elapsed, both investment and earth-and-rock excavation have "passed the halfway mark."

　　According to the introduction, the Pinglu Canal project has an estimated investment of approximately 72.7 billion yuan and is expected to excavate 339 million cubic meters of earth and rock, with the main structure scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. Since the official start of construction, nearly 20,000 builders have been working on the front lines of the Pinglu Canal construction project. In the first half of this year alone, the Pinglu Canal construction completed an investment of 11.13 billion yuan and excavated 58.518 million cubic meters of earth and rock, accounting for 55.7% and 53.2% of the annual plan, respectively.

　　In the second half of this year, the Pinglu Canal project construction will make every effort to meet the annual targets of completing 20 billion yuan in investment and excavating 110 million cubic meters of earth and rock, accelerate the construction of the main ship lock structures, navigation channels, bridges, and other projects, and provide guarantees for the goal of completing the main structure by 2026. At present, all six relocated and newly built primary schools along the canal have been completed and passed acceptance, and will be officially put into use in the fall semester of this year.

　　The 134.2-kilometer-long Pinglu Canal is one of the major projects in China's 14th Five-Year Plan. Once completed, it will become the shortest and most convenient waterway route to the sea for the southwestern region.