The 2025 Grand Canal Cultural Belt Beijing-Hangzhou Dialogue opened at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing in Tongzhou district on Thursday.

Themed "Sails racing, Canal thriving", the dialogue aims to create an enduring cultural forum by leveraging the cultural heritage of the Grand Canal to promote the development of the cities along the waterway.

The Grand Canal transformed the country's geographical framework and profoundly reshaped Chinese civilization since it was initiated in the fifth century. Attendees say that, in recent years, the development of the Grand Canal cultural belt has yielded remarkable results, with cities along the canal adopting creative approaches to their development.