A bird's-eye view of the Hangzhou section of the Grand Canal. [Photo/WeChat account: visithangzhou]

Balancing development and preservation, the millennia-old Grand Canal has taken on new life, becoming a vibrant engine for economic and social progress along its route.

The "Greater North City" project exemplifies this transformation. The latest expansion of the project includes areas like Yuhang's Renhe subdistrict and Linping's Tangqi ancient town. Over the next three years, the project's action plan – focused on planning, transportation, housing, public services, landscape improvement, cultural heritage, and industrial transformation – aims to rapidly develop this region into a charming, livable, and business-friendly area.

Under the framework of digital and cultural industry clusters, initiatives like the Gongshu Grand Canal Digital Future City and Linping Grand Canal Sci-Tech City are leveraging canal resources to create new products, business models, and experiences.

For instance, the Grand Canal Digital Future City, established in 2023, will focus on digital economy, life sciences, intelligent manufacturing, and e-sports, serving as a primary platform for industrial and urban integration in Gongshu district.

Additionally, the recently built second channel of the Hangzhou section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, which opened in July last year, is accelerating the planning of port functionalities. The new waterway has opened up new development opportunities for Linping.

The future also looks bright for the "Hangzhou-Ningbo Twin Cities" narrative. The Zhejiang section of the Grand Canal, comprising the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and the Zhedong Canal, serves as a crucial link for inland trade and a key artery of the Maritime Silk Road. According to Mao Lei, director of the Xiaoshan Creative Industries Center, the canal is poised to infuse the "Hangzhou-Ningbo Twin Cities" with new cultural and economic dynamics, fostering deeper integration and development.

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal Museum. [Photo/WeChat account: visithangzhou]