Kuala Lampur, Sept. 17 -- The opening of the Pinglu Canal on September 16, 2026 should be understood as more than the completion of another impressive Chinese infrastructure project.

It is potentially a pivotal moment in Asean - China relations because it begins to alter the economic geography connecting southwestern China with Southeast Asia.

Geography does not change. But the strategic meaning of geography can.

For decades, China's extraordinary economic ascent has been associated overwhelmingly with its eastern seaboard.

Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and the great ports facing the Pacific became gateways through which China entered the global economy. Pinglu introduces a different vector.

The 134.2-kilometre canal in Guangx...