Four years in the making, the Pinglu Canal cuts the journey to the sea for goods from southwestern China by more than 560km, generating annual transport savings of more than five billion yuan (US$745 million), according to state news agency Xinhua.

Analysts say the appointment of Suahasil Nazara signals that President Prabowo Subianto wants to achieve ambitious economic growth targets in a more careful and prudent way, adding that the new minister will have to balance this goal with fiscal disc...