One of China's most beautiful roads and one of its most eco-friendly canals are in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which is also home to the endangered white dolphin, and the love-it-or-hate-it durian.
The interconnectivity of Guangxi and ASEAN member states has significantly helped boost the local economy and cross-cultural exchanges.
Follow China Daily reporters Stephanie and Nathan as they take a closer look at this unique region.
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The interconnectivity of Guangxi and ASEAN member states has significantly helped boost the local economy and cross-cultural exchanges.
Follow China Daily reporters Stephanie and Nathan as they take a closer look at this unique region.
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Hello and welcome to another episode of Potside Chats where we talk about all things China.
00:05 I'm Nathan, this is Stephanie, and in this episode we're in Guangxi Jiang Autonomous Region in southwest China.
00:11 Now when people think of Guangxi, you probably picture spectacular karst landscapes, rice paddy fields, maybe not dolphins though!
00:20 But the Chinese white dolphin is an endangered species. Back in 2004 there were only 96, but thanks to conservation efforts today there's over 300.
00:29 Yes, in 2009 Guangxi built a road through the sea acting as a red line separating the Guangxi Pilot Free Trade Zone Qingzhou port area from the Bay Protection Area.
00:41 It's actually considered one of the most beautiful roads in China.
00:45 Ports, roads, dolphins, there's so much to see here!
00:48 Indeed, so let's take some more photos here and then let's head back to shore because we've got a lot of things to see!
00:54 Good idea!
00:58 Can you believe this very modern port started as a small fishing village in 1992?
01:04 Today it serves 338 ports in 113 countries and regions around the world.
01:11 The Qingzhou port is a support hub for the new international land-sea corridor,
01:17 which seeks among other things to advance the opening up of the southwest and south-central region of China.
01:25 Because of its proximity to the sea and to other Asian nations, it's also an important gateway to the 21st century maritime Silk Road.
01:34 Now although all of these processes are largely automated, there are always safety operators on hand to ensure everything runs smoothly.
01:43 So for everyone who was told that they would never get a job if they just spent so much time playing video games, ha!
01:51 Because in this amazing control room, you can actually help with the safety operations.
02:20 Nathan's first stop here in Qingzhou will show us where the goods go next.
02:24 The China Malaysia Industrial Park is part of the Guangxi Pilot Free Trade Zone Qingzhou Port Area.
02:33 And here they focus on things like biomedicine, equipment manufacturing, new energy,
02:38 that benefit from the bilateral currency swap agreement, meaning that it's more convenient for both countries to do business.
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04:20 Hey, how's it going?
04:22 Hey, hey, pretty good. How about you?
04:24 Yeah, great, thanks. Wow, what is that pungent aroma?
04:27 That is the smell of our next talking point, durian.
04:31 Oh, wow, okay.
04:33 So, fun fact, China imports 91% of the world's durian. Wild to think about.
04:40 And Vietnam is the latest durian import country, which is extra exciting for durian lovers
04:46 because the durian growing season in Vietnam is longer than most countries,
04:51 which means you can smell this in your Chinese grocery store all year long and not just for one season.
04:57 Well, that's fascinating. I didn't know that.
04:59 Well, how about we take some for the road because we've got more to explore.
05:03 Let's go to Dongxing, where the China-Vietnam border is, and you can cross that by road, rail, or foot.
05:09 Rail, with a durian.
05:11 [MUSIC]
05:16 Well, here we are at the Dongxing station of the Fandong Railway connecting Fangchenggang and Dongxing.
05:23 Well, there's a lot going on here, but not a lot of travel.
05:26 Yes, expected to be operational within a few months,
05:30 and it'll serve as an important part of the international land-sea corridor,
05:35 promoting trade and tourism between China, Vietnam, and other ASEAN nations.
05:40 Speaking of tourism, why don't we go out into Dongxing and see a little bit more?
05:44 Yeah, let's go.
05:45 [MUSIC]
05:53 A lot of people go to Vietnam. I just go to the border in China.
05:57 I go to the border of every country, but never cross it.
06:01 [MUSIC]
06:07 Well, here we are in Dongxing, China.
06:10 Right across the Beilou River is Vietnam. It's so close.
06:14 Yeah, it's beautiful, and it's so interesting to see this blend of two different cultures walking around the market.
06:21 I could stay here. In fact, why don't we just hop across the border and get some Vietnamese food?
06:26 Well, it is a short video, so how about we pop over for a fusion meal for the rest of this episode of Hot Side Chats?
06:33 Let's go.
06:34 [MUSIC]
06:36 Well, it would have been nice to visit Vietnam, but I'm equally happy to be sat here and try all this delicious food.
06:43 And food is half the fun of travel.
06:45 Yes.
06:46 So what are your thoughts on our Guangxi experience?
06:48 Oh, I feel so lucky to have explored Guangxi and see this part of China's economic and cultural exchange hub.
06:54 Vietnam has been Guangxi's largest trading partner for over 24 years,
06:59 and you can really tell that they've cultivated this really steadfast relationship.
07:03 Absolutely. We have ports, markets, free trade zones, railways,
07:08 all of these different projects going off in Guangxi really do facilitate and encourage these beautiful cross-cultural interactions.
07:17 And it's very future-focused and in some cases very green energy-focused.
07:22 Oh, are you referring to the Pinglu Canal?
07:24 I am indeed, sir. What do you know about it?
07:26 Guangxi is coastal, but it's actually got no direct sea ingress, and the canal is meant to fix that problem.
07:32 Opening up in a Guangxi and Western regions, and it will also be faster and cheaper to import goods.
07:40 Help with flooding, help with irrigation.
07:42 True.
07:43 And going to be one of the most eco-friendly canals in the world.
07:48 They're going to have multiple crossing points for local wildlife and a fishway for all the little migrating fishies.
07:54 Yeah, it's nice to see all this development has put such a high priority on environmental protection.
07:59 Absolutely. Well, what do you think? Have we covered enough? Is that a wrap?
08:03 We've covered so much in this episode, but now it's time to cover our plates with food.
08:07 Yes. Thank you so much for joining us for this episode of Hot Side Chats, and we will see you next time.
08:12 Bye.
08:13 (upbeat music)
08:15 (upbeat music)