BEIJING, Sept. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A report from People’s Daily

The Pinglu Canal officially opened to navigation on Sept. 16. As a landmark infrastructure linking the Belt and Road Initiative and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, it is China’s first major canal constructed since 1949 to directly connect inland waterways to the sea.

Stretching 134.2 kilometers, this waterway offers southwest China its shortest, most cost-effective, and most convenient outlet to the sea, carving a new landmark into China’s extensive inland river network.

The Xijiang River, a major inland waterway in southern China, and the Beibu Gulf, an inlet of the South China Sea, were once separated by rolling mountain ranges. In the past, exports shipped by water from southwest China had to take a detour via Guangzhou Port in Guangdong province, adding more than 500 kilometers to the journey. With the completion of the Pinglu Canal, the river and sea, once divided by mountain barriers, are now connected for the very first time.

In Baise, located in southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Su Yonghui, head of the logistics management department of leading aluminum producer Geely Material, did the math.

“In the past, imported raw materials had to be transported from Qinzhou Port in the Beibu Gulf using both rail and road. Shipment volumes were limited, and freight costs were high. Now, with waterway transport, our overall logistics costs have fallen by 30 percent, saving us more than 10 million yuan ($1.49 million) a year,” he said.

In Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, a cross-border industrial and supply chain for new energy batteries has drawn industry chain leaders BYD and Do-Fluoride, alongside over 50 upstream and downstream enterprises. The full industrial chain generates an output value exceeding 60 billion yuan.

“With the canal open, logistics costs will drop, market response will quicken, and the competitiveness of enterprises will further rise,” said Bi Guochu, director of the Nanning municipal bureau of industry and information technology.

The figures tell a clear story of lower costs and greater efficiency.

“Logistics costs are expected to fall by 18 to 30 percent, and in the longer term, the canal is expected to save the regions along its route more than 5 billion yuan in freight costs every year,” said Li Yuntao, deputy director of the investment and development department of the Pinglu Canal Group.

Two major markets highlight the potential for mutual benefit.

On one side is China, home to over 1.4 billion people; on the other is ASEAN, with a population of nearly 700 million.

“A new major corridor for mutual benefit has been added between these two huge markets,” said a diplomatic envoy in China from an ASEAN country after an inspection tour of the Pinglu Canal.

“The marine-oriented economy is rooted in industry. An ‘artery-and-branch’ layout of marine-oriented industries is precisely suited to Guangxi’s interconnected network of land, sea, rivers and canals,” said Huang Lanxi, director of the policy research office of the Communist Party of China Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee.

He noted that the Pinglu Canal Economic Belt serves as an artery, concentrating industries that handle large volumes of cargo and are well suited to port and waterway transport. Other parts of the region form the “branch veins,” with numerous industrial parks and enterprises serving as “fine veins” deeply integrated into the division of labor across industrial chains.

But the network supporting this “artery-and-branch” layout extends far beyond the Pinglu Canal.

Across Guangxi, 65 major land corridors connect the region with other parts of China, sea access points, and border ports. The autonomous region also operates 50 ASEAN-bound container shipping routes, air links to ASEAN nations, and 12 international terrestrial fiber-optic cables for cross-border digital communications.

With coordinated development across land, sea, air, and digital connectivity, Guangxi is positioning itself as a hub facilitating market operations for both domestic and international dual circulation.

Large vessels now berth at the docks, and cranes swing into action. The Dalanping first operating area of Qinzhou Port, part of the Beibu Gulf Port, is a hive of activity.

In May 2026, 122 loaders and other pieces of equipment manufactured by Liugong Group, a Chinese multinational construction machinery company based in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, were shipped to Jakarta, Indonesia.

In July, a new shipping route to Aqaba Port in Jordan began operations, sending more than 2,600 new energy vehicles from Chongqing and other parts of China directly to the Middle Eastern market.

“After the canal opens, inland waterway transport will be connected with the ocean shipping network, further enhancing the capacity and efficiency of the port,” said Chen Shengchang, general manager of the operating area.

SUZHOU, China, Sept. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Since the launch of its “Ecosystem Going Global” strategy in 2025, Elong Hotel Technology Group has been accelerating overseas brand expansion by building the “Three Pioneers for Global Expansion” – an Elong brand group led by ELONG HOTEL and comprising ELONG DELUXE and Elong E-S Hotel, covering upscale, upper-midscale, and vertical hotel segments. Supported by the group’s full-chain overseas empowerment system, Elong Hotel Technology Group aims to build a “second growth curve” for brand development.

Self-incubated by Elong Hotel Technology Group, the Elong Brand Family opened its first hotel in 2021, its core brands have signed over 500 hotels and opened more than 250 hotels by far. Overseas, it has signed nearly 20 hotels across seven countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, Kazakhstan and Malaysia. The first overseas hotel, Elong Hotel (Jakarta PIK), recorded over 90% occupancy and ADR of over RMB550, far above Jakarta’s market average. In China, Shanghai Elong Hotel, as one of the flagship locations, attracts many foreign guests amid the “China Travel” boom, with their share exceeding 60%, demonstrating strong international brand appeal.

This overseas breakthrough relies on Elong Hotel Technology Group’s full-chain overseas support. Self-developed AI site selection and other applications are entering overseas deployment. Smart hotel equipments—1MZ Self Check-in Kiosk, SUBMITTED BY CHENG(delivery robots) and ETV—run reliably in flagship hotels, improving guest experience and operational efficiency. On the other hand, Elong Finance provides cross-border financial connections. Besides, Zhiyi Technology offers one-stop cross-border procurement, Southeast Asian overseas warehousing, room distribution and exchange, and international PMS services, systematically addressing pain points in pre-opening, operations and supply chain management. 

Looking ahead, Elong Hotel Technology Group will deepen cooperation with partners in Southeast Asia, Central Asia and other target regions, jointly explore markets, and bring Chinese smart manufacturing and Elong warmth to broader global markets, building a future-oriented, smart and sustainable global hospitality ecosystem.

CHANGZHOU, China, Sept. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On September 17, State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company dispatched maintenance crews to conduct special inspections of charging piles for buses and private vehicles at Jintan High‑Speed Railway Station, identifying and rectifying potential hazards in advance to prepare reliable charging services for travellers during the upcoming Mid‑Autumn Festival and National Day holiday.

As the two major holidays draw near, a sharp rise in travellers choosing the “high‑speed rail + new energy vehicle” travel model is expected along the Shanghai–Nanjing Yangtze River bank corridor. Surging passenger flows will drive robust growth in EV charging and battery‑swapping demand, placing higher requirements on the reliability and service efficiency of charging infrastructure. In response, State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company rolled out pre‑holiday arrangements, carried out hazard inspections and assigned extra field technicians to fully guarantee safe EV charging.

The utility conducted comprehensive defect elimination at charging stations around highway service areas, high‑speed railway stations and tourist attractions including Oriental Salt Lake Resort to keep charging equipment in optimal operating condition. It also deployed drones for special patrols of power supply lines serving charging sites. This approach broadens inspection coverage, improves efficiency and enables real‑time monitoring of equipment performance to secure stable power delivery for charging facilities.

To meet holiday refuelling demand for electric buses, four additional DC charging piles have been installed at Jintan High‑Speed Railway Station. The expansion accelerates charging for electric buses and cuts waiting time, delivering a more convenient and efficient travel experience for visitors. Optimised on‑call maintenance schedules and enhanced emergency response protocols have also been put in place to enable rapid troubleshooting in the event of equipment faults.

State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company stated it will continue monitoring charging station operations and passenger volume throughout the holiday period. By sustaining robust power service support, the company facilitates low‑carbon green mobility and ensures visitors enjoy “worry‑free charging and smooth journeys” this Mid‑Autumn and National Day break.

BEIJING, Sept. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In well-arranged rows of standardized greenhouses at a smart agriculture park in Shuiguo Township, Shizhong District of Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province, ornamental chrysanthemums are entering their peak harvesting season, ready to be picked, packed and shipped to overseas markets.

Traditional cultivation methods often resulted in inconsistent quality and poor adaptability to market demand. With smart agriculture playing a greater role, the Shuimu Fengnian Smart Agriculture Park in Shuiguo Township has adopted a highly efficient production mode of two-crop rotation system each year, which has not only diversified the product range but also enhanced the flowers’ adaptability to different markets.

During this year’s harvesting season, a total of 130,000 freshly cut chrysanthemums were exported to the Republic of Korea, 200,000 were sold to major Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai, and another 110,000 were supplied to the local market, creating a coordinated pattern of domestic and overseas sales.

The park is now preparing to plant one million chrysanthemums for the next crop. While expanding production and introducing new varieties, it also provides nearby farmers with a full range of services, including seedlings, technical support, cold-chain logistics and diversified sales channels. These efforts have helped create jobs and increase incomes for local farmers, and further boost the local economy.

Advanced cultivation technologies have enabled the ornamental chrysanthemums in the park to form a prominent market advantage in terms of growth cycles and product quality, steadily boosting the economic returns of the specialty flower industry. 

By taking into account the different needs in flowers between domestic and overseas markets, the park precisely matches varieties and harvesting standards to specific markets and relies on refined management to achieve stable yields and higher incomes.

Powered by technological advances and mode innovation, Shuiguo Township has blazed a new path toward green, efficient and export-oriented modern agriculture. The little chrysanthemums have contributed to higher agricultural efficiency and incomes for farmers, offering a replicable model for the transformation and upgrading of specialty agriculture in Shizhong District.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/352277.html

NEW YORK and SUZHOU, China, Sept. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Accro Bioscience Inc. (Accro Bio), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of novel therapeutics for immune mediated diseases, today announced the dosing of their first patient in the Phase IIb clinical trial of AC-101, a selective RIPK2 inhibitor, in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC).

About the Phase IIb Study

The Phase IIb study is a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate AC-101 in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC). Planned across approximately 50 clinical sites, the trial features a three-arm design comprising two AC-101 dose cohorts and a placebo control arm. The primary endpoint is the clinical remission rate at Week 12. Exploratory endpoints include histologic remission, as well as the maintenance of clinical and histologic remission during long-term treatment.

About AC-101

AC-101 is a novel, selective RIPK2 inhibitor derived from Accro Bioscience’s proprietary drug discovery platform targeting regulatory cell death and inflammation. It is being developed for the treatment of moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC). Receptor interacting protein kinase 2 (RIPK2) is a key mediator in the NOD signaling pathway, and dysregulation of NOD/RIPK2 signaling is associated with multiple inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

AC-101 has completed Phase I studies in healthy participants in Australia and China, with favorable safety and PK/PD profile. A Phase Ib proof of concept study in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe UC has been completed. The efficacy and safety results of this Phase Ib study will be presented at UEG Week 2026.

About Accro Bioscience

Accro Bioscience Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, by targeting molecular mechanisms of regulatory cell death. The company’s robust pipeline of first- and best-in-class compounds offers the potential to bring innovative, paradigm-shifting therapies to patients.

For more information, please visit www.accropeutics.com.