China opens Pinglu Canal as HK reveals new five-year roadmap

China has officially opened its landmark Pinglu Canal to navigation, creating a new maritime gateway for the country's southwestern hinterland and providing a shorter route to Southeast Asia as Beijing seeks to deepen trade with the region. The canal was launched on Wednesday, slashing transit time to Southeast Asian destinations.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong has unveiled its first five-year roadmap, marking a significant planning milestone for the special administrative region. The announcement comes as part of a week of major developments across the region.

These stories emerged from the South China Morning Post's recent reporting, which highlighted seven key developments across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asian region and beyond. The selected stories resonated with readers and shed light on topical issues during the week.

Among other major stories covered was the Chinese defence chief's appearance at the Xiangshan Forum, where he skirted flashpoints ahead of a scheduled summit between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. The forum speech was closely watched for signals on regional security issues.

The SCMP's reporting also included coverage of unusual incidents, including a faecal row involving a Beijing Hyrox athlete, reflecting the breadth of stories capturing public attention across the region during the period.