112 years ago today, on October 10, 1913 (September 11, 1913 in the lunar calendar), the Panama Canal opened. Panama Canal On October 10, 1913, U.S. President Wilson pressed the button to activate the 8-ton explosive device in Washington today, blasting open the last obstacle of the Panama Canal. Water from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans simultaneously flowed into the canal channel. Small boats are already able to sail in the river, while the channels for larger boats are expected to open within a few weeks. The total length of the canal is about 83 kilometers, 152 to 304 meters wide, and there are three pairs of sluices at each end. It takes approximately 7 to 8 hours for ships to pass through the canal. The Panama Canal is a navigable canal that connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean through the isthmus of Panama. Its opening has greatly shortened the voyage between the two oceans. It has the same world strategic significance as the Suez Canal, so it is known as the "Bridge of the World". The Panama Canal has a total length of 81.3 kilometers, with a narrowest point of 152 meters and a widest point of 304 meters. It extends 16.09 kilometers from the center line of the canal to both sides. It is the Panama Yunhe District, with a total area of 1432 square kilometers. The history of this canal can be traced back to 1534 AD, when King Carlos I of Spain at that time ordered a survey of the isthmus of Panama and planned to dig a canal in its narrowest section. However, due to limited technical conditions and construction capabilities at that time, the Spaniards only paved a post road through the isthmus with pebbles along the foot of the mountain. In 1881, the French Canal Company, which successfully opened the Suez Canal, was the first to obtain the right to dig the Panama Canal. However, due to the harsh local natural conditions, the project was interrupted in 1889. In 1903, the United States instigated Panama's independence from Colombia and signed the Panama Canal Treaty with the newly established Panamanian government. According to the treaty, the United States enjoyed the right to dig the Canal in Panama and "permanently use, occupy and control" the canal and the Yunhe District. The United States paid Panama US$10 million in a one-time payment as so-called "contract compensation." In 1914, workers from more than 50 countries finally exchanged their blood and tears for the navigation of the Panama Canal. The opening of the Panama Canal has greatly promoted the development of the world shipping industry. Currently, goods accounting for 5% of global trade and transportation are sent to various parts of the world through the canal. The United States, Japan and China are the three largest users of the Panama Canal. In 1996, Hong Kong Hutchison Whampoa Group Co., Ltd. obtained the rights to operate the ports of Balboa and Cristobal on both ends of the Panama Canal. The management period is 25 years and can be extended for another 25 years after expiration. So far, the company has invested US$120 million to modernize the two ports, increasing port throughput fourfold. Crowds watch as the first water passes through the canal's west gate and the project to build the Panama Transport continues to progress.