Why has road transportation been more important than river transportation in Guizhou?

Road transportation has become the primary mode of travel and freight in Guizhou because the province's river systems are largely unsuitable for navigation.12

The rivers in Guizhou, which include the upper streams of major systems like the Yangtze and the Xi, are characterized by abrupt changes in gradient and significant fluctuations in flow volume. Furthermore, the presence of numerous reefs and dangerous rapids makes most of these waterways difficult to navigate, with the exception of the Wu River, which serves as a prosperous, albeit limited, waterway.21

In contrast, Guizhou has developed an extensive and well-connected highway network to overcome its rugged, mountainous topography. The province has invested heavily in infrastructure, constructing over 30,000 road bridges to span deep canyons and karst landscapes, which allows traffic to bypass difficult terrain and avoid long detours. These engineering feats, including world-record-holding structures like the Huajiang Canyon Bridge, have solidified the importance of road transport in connecting the province internally and with its neighbors.1