To address the issues of accelerating the formation and improvement of the overall layout of the national high-grade waterway and building a golden waterway for the whole basin,this paper analyzes the development logic of the Yangtze River shipping communication project,summarizes the experience of canal development and construction at home and abroad,and comprehensively analyzes the development ideas of the Yangtze River shipping communication project.The research indicates that promoting the Yangtze River shipping communication project should adhere to the principles of watershed perspective,overall planning,based on the current and long-term,geographical proximity,safety and reliability,moderate advancement,and economic applicability.Ten navigation communication projects are proposed to create an overall waterway pattern of “three horizontal，five vertical and two rings”in the Yangtze River system,which is conducive to maximizing the value of shipping and sharing water resources across time and space.Relevant work suggestions are proposed from the aspects of orderly promotion of classification,factor resource guarantee,major technology reserve,pilot demonstration and so on.