The embankment grows fresh greenery, egrets accompany the boat's journey — embarking on a boat to explore the "beautiful waterway" of the Li River.

Standing on the deck of the "Channel Management 515" boat, one can look into the distance and see the karst peaks stretching along both banks of the Li River, with a jade-green ribbon of water winding between the mountains. On the ecological embankments, green grass rises from the cracks between pebbles, sprawling along the slopes, as a few egrets skim over the river and gracefully land on the embankments, strolling along… On October 19, the "Waterborne China—Seeing Guangxi from the Water" interview and research group began their first stop at the "beautiful waterway" of the Li River in Guilin, Guangxi.

"In December last year, Guangxi's construction of the 'beautiful waterway' on the Li River successfully became part of the Ministry of Transport's pilot program for 'high-quality inland waterway development' under the 'Transportation Powerhouse' initiative," introduced Chen Guojian, Party Secretary and Director of the Guilin Waterway and Boat Inspection Management Center of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. As a pilot project focusing on ecological tourism waterway construction to enhance transportation, how does the Li River's "beautiful waterway" balance navigation safety, ecological protection, and cultural tourism experiences? With these questions in mind, the interview and research group traveled along the river by boat, experiencing firsthand the pioneering exploration of ecological restoration and smart waterway construction on the Li River.

Standing on the deck, one could see distinct lanes for bamboo rafts and tourist boats, with the waterway functioning in an orderly manner. Several bamboo rafts glided by smoothly, absent of the loud roar of motor engines. "Currently, the Li River sightseeing bamboo rafts have fully transitioned from fuel to electric power, achieving 100% coverage of purely electric sightseeing bamboo rafts," said Mo Xiaoyuan, head of the Technology and Information Division at the Guilin Waterway and Boat Inspection Management Center. The pilot project also designated exclusive lanes for bamboo rafts, ensuring that boats and rafts travel in separate lanes, effectively reducing the risks associated with vessel encounters.

As the boat continued forward, a river shoal dredging operation came into view. The long arm of an excavator slowly extended into the water, scooping and transferring deposited pebbles one bucket at a time. "The riverbed of the Li River waterway is impacted by flood erosion, with a large amount of pebbles easily deposited during flood seasons," explained Mo Xiaoyuan. "During the process of dredging, we use the excavated pebbles to reinforce and build embankments on-site." Pointing towards the embankments along the riverbank, one could see ecological protections constructed from stacked pebbles. Within the gaps between the pebbles, resilient grasses grew vigorously, tightly "weaving" the pebbles together without requiring cement or additional construction land. The ecological restoration embankments along both sides of the Li River have become increasingly stable under the dual forces of river scouring and plant rooting.

The management and maintenance methods for the Li River waterway are also quietly upgrading. "Traditionally, we relied solely on vessel patrols, which left some blind spots for observing hazards in certain shoals and along shorelines," said Mo Xiaoyuan. Nowadays, drones are used to inspect the Li River waterway, flying over karst peaks and gorges to cover areas that were previously hard to reach. This allows hazards such as shallow shoals, abnormal signage, embankment and shoreline damages to be identified earlier, enabling more precise and efficient maintenance. The aerial drones work in conjunction with waterborne patrol vessels to form an integrated air-and-water monitoring network, equipping waterway maintenance with "eyes that see far and wide."

Clear waters reflect green mountains, egrets skim the surface in flight, and boats and bamboo rafts shuttle back and forth. On the thousand-year-old Li River, navigation, ecology, and cultural tourism are seamlessly integrated. A beautiful waterway, where nature and human activity coexist harmoniously, is steadily moving towards the goal of achieving "beautiful facilities, beautiful environment, beautiful service, and beautiful culture."