BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) — Almost 3,200 km long in total, the Grand Canal is the world’s longest man-made waterway, connecting the northern and southern parts of China. It has a history of more than 2,500 years. Over 1,000 km of the canal was recognized as a world heritage site in 2014.

Today, the Grand Canal is glowing with new vitality thanks to China’s efforts to promote the protection and inheritance of the heritage of the canal, such as protecting the canal’s cultural heritage, improving its water resources, building a green ecological corridor, and promoting culture and tourism.

April 18 marks the International Day for Monuments and Sites. Follow our FPV drone to explore the Grand Canal from a new perspective.

This photo taken on Sept. 20,  2022 shows a scenic area along the Grand Canal, in Tongzhou District of Beijing, capital of China. (Photo by Chang Ming/Xinhua)

Citizens row a boat on a section of the Grand Canal in Tongzhou District of Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)

Tourists enjoy snowy scenery while visiting Taierzhuang ancient town along the Grand Canal, in Zaozhuang, east China’s Shandong Province, Jan. 14, 2023. (Photo by Zhang Yanxin/Xinhua)

This aerial photo taken on Aug. 17, 2020 shows a view of Taierzhuang ancient town along the Grand Canal, in Zaozhuang, east China’s Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei)

This photo taken on April 2, 2020 shows a view of the Slender West Lake in Yangzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

This aerial photo taken on June 15, 2021 shows a museum themed on the Grand Canal, in Yangzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

This aerial photo taken on June 12, 2019 shows a historical and cultural block along the Grand Canal, in Wuxi, east China’s Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

This aerial photo taken on May 27, 2022 shows the Gongchen Bridge across the Grand Canal, in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

This aerial photo taken on Sept. 27, 2022 shows a view of the Zhedong Canal, a section of the Grand Canal, in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

Produced by Xinhua Global Service■