Research on the High-Quality Development Paths of Zhejiang Canals from the Perspective of Chinese Modernization

This paper systematically reviews the historical evolution, cultural value, ecological governance, modernization development and institutional innovation of Zhejiang canals, and comprehensively analyzes their innovative practices and strategic paths in the context of the new era. As an important part of China’s Grand Canal, Zhejiang canals have evolved from military use and grain transportation lifelines to modern comprehensive transportation systems over the long course of history. In the New Era, driven by multiple strategies such as ecological civilization, smart shipping, cultural-tourism integration, and regional coordination, Zhejiang has taken the lead nationwide in green transformation and digital shipping, promoting the “zero-carbon port” pilot project and building the “shipping brain” platform. Zhejiang has become the first province in China to achieve ecological governance benchmarks for inland shipping and the first pilot province for digital transformation of inland shipping. Zhejiang canals have transformed from traditional shipping channels to “economy-ecology-culture-governance” composite corridors. This paper proposes and constructs a new “Chinese-style modernization canal development model”, Zhejiang canals should actively integrate into the new “dual circulation” development pattern, build a world-class modern inland shipping system, promote the activation and utilization of cultural heritage, construct green ecological demonstration corridors, deepen digitalization and smart governance, and explore innovative paths in institutional mechanisms and regional coordination. In the future, Zhejiang canals will play a leading role in the restructuring of the global water transport landscape and become a model for the construction of a Chinese-style modern water transport system.