EXPERTS say one of Asia's busiest waterways, the Yangtze River, needs significant improvements to restore smooth sailing and boost regional economies, reports Hong Kong's South China Morning Post.

As the longest river in Asia and a crucial transport artery, the Yangtze has long suffered from choke points that hinder efficiency.

Shipping industry professionals, experts, and local officials from four provinces and a municipality along the river〞Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Shaanxi〞gathered in Chongqing earlier this month to discuss "high-quality" shipping development in the upper Yangtze region.

Since their first forum in 2021, these regions have collaborated on shipping data, emergency river rescues, and interprovincial regulations.

Over 33 companies have signed contracts to enhance river tourism, create new container ship routes, advance shipbuilding, and improve general water transport.

Frequent traffic jams occur as boats pass the Three Gorges Dam, and travel on key tributaries such as the Wu, Jialing, and Min rivers remains hindered.

According to experts, these waterways lack optimal connections to the main river.

Last year, cargo ships faced an average waiting time of 12 days to pass through the locks of the Three Gorges Dam due to insufficient capacity, as reported by the Southwest China Chapter of the European Union Chamber of Commerce.