The Pinglu Canal in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region started vessel trials on Wednesday, marking a key step toward the planned opening of this major Chinese waterway in September. Four vessels of the 1,000-ton, 3,000-ton and 5,000-ton classes were deployed for the trial. Moving in phases along the canal's main channel, they will verify navigation under different operating conditions and test the performance of navigation aids across the entire route, comprehensively checking the safety and stability of the canal's channel, ship-locks, anchorages and service areas to lay a solid foundation for the canal's opening. As a backbone project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the 134.2-km Pinglu Canal is China's first major river-to-sea canal project planned and coordinated at the national level since 1949. (Produced by Xie Runjia and intern Wang Shanshan)