The Grand Canal — where ancient trade routes meet modern ties

Stretching more than 2,500 years from Beijing to Hangzhou, the Grand Canal was once the backbone of the China’s economy, moving goods and people across regions. Its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 affirmed both its scale and its lasting global significance.

Today, the canal’s Tongzhou section in Beijing tells a different story. High‑rises now rise along its banks, while ancient bridges have been carefully restored, a landscape shaped by urban development and cultural preservation working side by side. As the northern gateway of the Beijing‑Tianjin‑Hebei region, Tongzhou section reflects a broader transformation where infrastructure, environment and heritage converge.

More than an archaeological treasure, the Grand Canal is a working example of how heritage can be mobilised for development and diplomacy. In the China‑Africa Year of People‑to‑People Exchanges, it stands as a reminder that shared history and living culture can build bridges between continents, just as trade routes once did.

Wacth LIVE: The Grand Canal — where ancient trade routes meet modern ties

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Wu Qiong, Wang Shengdong, Zhang Weize of CMG Beijing Bureau contribute to the live show.