KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The opening of China's Pinglu Canal will significantly shorten transport distances and reduce logistics costs between ASEAN and western China, while creating new opportunities for Malaysian enterprises to expand their presence in the Chinese market, a Malaysian business leader has said.
Looi Hei Tyng, deputy president of The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM), told Xinhua in a recent interview that the canal will not only enhance regional connectivity but also encourage enterprises to expand their cooperation beyond traditional trade into industrial and supply chain activities.
The 134.2-kilometer canal, stretching from Hengzhou in Guangxi to the Beibu Gulf, opened on Sept. 16. It is the closest maritime outlet for much of southwest China.
Looi noted that the opening of the Pinglu Canal will mark not only the completion of a major infrastructure project but also an important step towards building a more integrated logistics network in western China.
By linking inland waterways with maritime routes, the canal will further improve China's transport network, he added.
Looking ahead, Looi called for better connections between the canal and existing port, rail and road networks to facilitate multimodal transport.
In addition to selling products to western China, Malaysian enterprises could engage in warehousing and distribution, processing and manufacturing, supply chain management, and cross-border e-commerce in Guangxi and other parts of western China, he said.
Such cooperation would help strengthen two-way investment ties between Malaysia and China, he added.
China and ASEAN have been each other's largest trading partner for years. Bilateral trade surpassed 1 trillion U.S. dollars for the first time in 2025, reaching 1.05 trillion dollars. In the first eight months of 2026, bilateral trade totaled 862.75 billion dollars, up 25.6 percent year on year.
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