China News Service, Qinzhou, Guangxi, October 23. Title: Taiwanese compatriots swim in the Pinglu Canal: a century-old vision has finally become a reality of "connecting the river to the sea"
Author Jiang Xuelin Zhang Guangquan
"There is a sense of reality that a dream has come true." Zheng Yuqiao, a Taiwanese self-media blogger, blurted out the moment he stepped on the Pinglu Canal cruise ship and looked at the wide channel in front of him.
On October 22, the 22nd Guangxi-Taiwan Economic, Trade and Cultural Cooperation Forum cross-strait media joint interview event came to Qinzhou, Guangxi. Media and self-media people from both sides of the strait experienced a boat ride on the Pinglu Canal. This is the first river-sea Grand Canal built since 1949. Since it was officially opened to navigation in September this year, it is attracting more and more attention. For Zheng Yuqiao, this trip is not just a "check-in" for a "project of the century", but also a historical echo that spans a century.
"Mr. Sun Yat-sen's "National Founding Strategy" included the idea of opening up the southwest sea channel, and now it has become a reality." Zheng Yuqiao said that hoping for a better home is the common wish of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. This canal is a reflection of "man can conquer nature", and the grand project of the century has actually been completed.
What also shocked her was the speed of construction. The builders completed this super project in just 4 years. "Projects of the same scale may not be implemented in other parts of the world for 40 years." Zheng Yuqiao said that the construction of the Pinglu Canal integrates multiple natural sciences and engineering disciplines, and the matters involved are extremely complex. "In other countries, it would be difficult to advance through layers of approval alone."
What impressed her even more was the "temperature" of this canal. "The project specially sets up wildlife passages and fish migration passages, taking into account ecological protection." Zheng Yuqiao said that this not only opens up the passage from the inland to the sea, but also reflects the care for natural creatures.
Guo Ruiyu, a tourist from Taoyuan, Taiwan, feels more down-to-earth. While walking along the riverside in the Qinzhou City section of the Pinglu Canal on the evening of the 21st, she found that the water was almost free of pollution and had no odor. "Taiwan also has riverside parks, but some rivers are seriously polluted, and you often smell bad smells when walking." Guo Ruiyu said that the air here is fresh, there are few mosquitoes, and the environment is very suitable for living. After learning that the local house price was about 5,000 yuan (RMB, the same below) per square meter, she said with a smile that she was "excited to buy a house." "My house in Taoyuan costs 30,000 to 40,000 yuan per square meter, equivalent to RMB. If I sell one house in Taiwan, I can buy several here." She said.
During the boat trip, what Guo Ruiyu saw most was the bridge. "Each bridge has a different shape. I will remember these bridges and they should look more beautiful at night." She looked forward to the early launch of the Pinglu Canal night tour project and said she would definitely experience it if she had the opportunity. After returning to Taiwan, she also plans to introduce friends to Qinzhou for a walk and a look.
Taiwanese self-media blogger Zhu Yimeng describes her yearning for the Pinglu Canal as "the lover of my dreams." She learned that Guangxi invested 72 billion yuan to build this project, and she was even more shocked after taking the boat on site: "Only when I arrived at the site today did I really feel the magnificence of the project. It is hard to imagine that such a huge project can be successfully completed."
On the same day, Zhu Yimeng also shot a short video by the canal in Hanfu. "The wind blew the clothes and fluttered, which was very interesting." She hopes to use the camera to show the natural scenery and traditional culture here to the Taiwanese people, and calls on everyone to "come and take a look."
Wu Yumou, cruise instructor of Qinzhou Tahoe Changyou Water Passenger Transport Co., Ltd., said that on the route from the Qinzhou Water Service Area to the Pinglu Canal Youth Hub, you can enjoy unique scenery such as Pingshan Island, Gulong Kiln, Jinxi Cultural Tourism and Sports Park, and Nixing Tao related attractions along the way. Since the canal was opened, it has received more than 10,000 tourists.
"One day we received a band, and the tourists sang a song specially composed for the Pinglu Canal on the boat. I was very impressed." Wu Yumou said that tourists come from all over the world. The cruise ship runs three times a day, carrying nearly 300 passengers in a single day, and it is difficult to get a ticket.
Zheng Yuqiao, who currently lives in Nanning City, has been paying attention to the development of Guangxi. She hopes that after the Pinglu Canal is opened to the sea, it will not only drive local development, but also create cross-Strait trade opportunities and promote cross-Strait youth exchanges. “I hope everyone can come and see it in person and gain an objective understanding of the development of the mainland.”
Standing on the cruise ship, Zheng Yuqiao looked at the lush vegetation on both sides of the canal and the bridges passing by from time to time, and said emotionally: "This canal allows people to see that dreams can come true."
