Guangxi 2026: China’s Gateway to ASEAN Expands Trade and Connectivity

Nanning Wuxu International Airport (NNG) Nanning, Guangxi, China

The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China is positioning itself as a strategic hub linking China and ASEAN, with major infrastructure and connectivity projects set to transform regional trade. In 2026, Guangxi is stepping up as a first-class channel for commerce, logistics, and people-to-people exchanges between China and Southeast Asia.

Building a First-Class China–ASEAN Trade Channel

Wei Tao, chairman of Guangxi and deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, highlighted the region’s unique position as the only Chinese territory linking the country to ASEAN member states by land and sea. By 2026, Guangxi aims to offer “the shortest travel time, the best services and the lowest costs” through an integrated system of land, sea, air, and digital networks.

The region’s strategic location near Vietnam and its cultural ties with ASEAN nations make it a natural gateway for trade, tourism, and investment. Guangxi already handles robust freight, with cross-border railways, highways, and ports connecting China to ASEAN efficiently.

Pinglu Canal: A Direct River-to-Sea Trade Link

Pinglu Canal project

A flagship project, the Pinglu Canal, will open to traffic during the China–ASEAN Expo in September 2026. Spanning 134.2 kilometers, the canal connects the Pingtang River estuary in Nanning to the Beibu Gulf in the South China Sea, enabling 5,000-metric-ton vessels to reach overseas markets directly.

This route will bypass Guangdong province, shortening shipping distances by about 560 kilometers and saving an estimated 5.2 billion yuan ($753 million) annually in logistics costs. As part of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the Pinglu Canal strengthens Guangxi’s role as a pivotal trade hub for southwestern China and ASEAN markets.

Expanding Connectivity by Land, Air, and Sea

Guangxi continues to build cross-border railways, highways, and ports, while upgrading Nanning into an international aviation and postal hub. Currently, two railway lines connect Guangxi directly to the China–Vietnam border, supporting record freight volumes. In 2025, 37,000 TEUs of export goods were transported via China–Vietnam trains from Guangxi, an 86 percent year-on-year increase.

The Nanning Wuxu International Airport offers flights to all ASEAN nations, handling 81,600 tons of cargo and mail last year. Meanwhile, Beibu Gulf Port services over 200 ports worldwide, surpassing 10 million TEUs in container throughput in 2025.

Trade Growth and ASEAN Integration

Guangxi’s imports and exports with ASEAN reached 429.22 billion yuan in 2025, an 8 percent increase year-on-year. The region operates 12 cross-border land cables connecting Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and other ASEAN countries, facilitating trade, finance, and communications.

Authorities have established cooperation mechanisms across 40 sectors, including artificial intelligence, ports, finance, agriculture, and standardization, aligning with Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) rules to promote institutional opening-up and sustainable trade growth.

Industrial Parks and Cross-Border Supply Chains

Guangxi is accelerating the development of border and port industrial parks while building cross-border industrial and supply chains with ASEAN countries. Focus areas include chemicals, new energy materials, and other high-value industries. These projects aim to create a convenient hub for domestic and international circulation, improve investment facilitation, and enhance capital, trade, and personnel flows between China and ASEAN.

By 2026, Guangxi’s combined infrastructure, logistics, and policy initiatives are set to strengthen its position as China’s key gateway to Southeast Asia, driving trade, investment, and regional cooperation.

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