PHOTO: To make the best use of the massive stimulus package, China is to build the world's longest bridge to connect mainland China,Hong Kong and Macao to bring the economic ties closer. Critics argue that the $20 billion infrastructure mega-project is politically driven and a costly white elephant. PHOTO: While the true need for the bridge is disputed, it is undeniably an extraordinary feat of engineering. Subscribe here! The bridge is a central plank in China's ambitious … It’s no surprise that Gao admits to having suffered sleepless nights. China Opens the World's Longest Sea Bridge. “You can’t see the existing transport connections – in a literal way. China opens world’s longest sea bridge and tunnel to connect Hong Kong and Macau to the mainland The 34.2 mile-long sea bridge cuts one commute from four hours to 45 minutes. Hangzhou Bay Bridge (simplified Chinese: 杭州湾大桥; traditional Chinese: 杭州灣大橋; pinyin: Hángzhōu Wān Dàqiáo; Wu: Han-tseu-uae du-jiau) is a long 35.7 km (22.2 mi) highway bridge with two separate cable-stayed portions, built across the mouth of Hangzhou Bay in the eastern coastal region of China.It connects the municipalities of Jiaxing and Ningbo in Zhejiang province. The region incorporates three borders (Hong Kong/China; Macau/China; Hong Kong/Macau), three different legal systems and three different currencies. Additionally, residents carry three different passports and identity cards, and speak two different languages (Cantonese and Mandarin). There is no land in sight. The idea of a Greater Bay Area was first raised in 2009, but development has been hampered because “there are lots of barriers between the cities,” Chan says. Of the remaining $3.24 billion, Hong Kong put up $1.38 billion – a little less than Zhuhai ($1.43 billion), which received financial support from China’s central government, and considerably more than Macau ($0.43 billion) which, with a population of 610,000, is the smallest of the three cities. ​Stretching more than 12 kilometers in length, it will be the longest structure over water in ​all of Latin America. China To Build Indonesia’s Longest Bridge In North Kalimantan. Mo also believes that Hong Kong has spent too much money on the bridge. Password reset email has been resent. The Maputo-Catembe Bridge straddles the Indian Ocean inlet of the Espirito Santo estuary, hovering 60 metres above the azure waters below. Beijing ICP prepared NO.16065310-3, Chinese companies to build longest bridge over water in Brazil. The first episode is on China's record bridge-building. In the wake of Occupy Hong Kong – the 2014 pro-democracy protests which rocked the territory – Beijing has tightened its grip on the city. Locals feared that the dark tunnel would spell disaster for the morals of the town's younger population. Dropcap the popularization of the “ideal measure” has led to advice such as “Increase font size for large screens and D ropcap the popularization of the “ideal measure” has led to advice such as “Increase font … “It’s the largest gambling city in the world, and the only city where gaming is legal in the whole Greater China region,” says Chan. Cars will drive on the right along the Chinese sections of the bridge, and switch to the left in Hong Kong and Macau, to match the driving styles in each city. Environmental groups including WWF and the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, for example, have argued that its construction has further endangered Hong Kong’s beleaguered population of Chinese white dolphins. Imaginechina/Corbis. Japan's Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge spans 2.43 miles and connects the city of Kobe to Awaji Island. Gao explains that the tunnel is made of 33 “elements” – huge hollow blocks measuring 590 feet (180 meters) long, 125 feet (38 meters) wide and 37 feet (11.4 meters) high. Construction workers building a road in Macau that will connect the territory to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. According to various media reports, financing relating to the Maputo-Catembe Bridge project was granted as a loan agreement to the government of Mozambique. A spokesperson for Hong Kong’s Highways Department said: “The locations and alignments of the … infrastructure are carefully determined to avoid the Chinese white dolphin’s major active areas. The bridge is also intended to boost tourism. Chan believes the region could become “possibly the most attractive tourism hub in China.” But not everyone sees the benefits. PHOTO: At a cost of US$49 million, Ethiopia is set to build its longest bridge. Opened on 29 April, 2009, with a main span of 552 meters, Chaotianmen Bridge in Chongqing is the longest arch bridge in the world, which connected 3 major commercial areas of this city. The bridge is not the only cross-border development underway. It remains to be seen if the boost to connectivity will elevate China’s Greater Bay Area to new heights, and how much further it will bring Hong Kong and Macau into China’s powerful embrace. Puli Bridge, China, 1,591 feet (2015) 5. PHOTO: The elements were precast on Guishan Island, near Zhuhai, and transported to the construction site by floating pontoons and tugboats. Like other critics, Mo believes that building the bridge was a political act. PHOTO: by boostnow. In a statement, the Highways Department told CNN that seven workers had died, and 275 had been injured, while working on Hong Kong’s link road and boundary crossing facility. Updated PHOTO: Since then, those records have been surpassed by numerous other bridges but with 10 million camera-toting visitors a year, the Golden Gate Bridge is by far the most photographed. Library of Congress, Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, Liantang-Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point, 4.5 times the amount in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Sidu River Bridge, China, 1,627 feet (2009) 4. Gao says the most technically difficult aspect was the construction of a four mile (6.7 kilometer) long submerged tunnel. The bridge has been plagued by criticism since its beginning. The $20 billion Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is the world's longest sea-crossing bridge. A spokesman at Hong Kong’s Transport and Housing Bureau told CNN that Hong Kong spent an additional $4.57 billion on its Boundary Crossing Facilities, and $3.19 billion on a link road from the main bridge to the boundary crossing. It is built to withstand earthquakes (a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit in 1995), consistently strong tidal currents (9 knots), and wind gusts up to 179 mph. The tunnel is a crucial component because the Pearl River Delta is one of the busiest shipping areas in the world. “At present, visitors to Hong Kong from mainland China tend to fly in for one or two days, mostly for shopping, and seldom travel to other areas in the Pearl River Delta,” says Chan. AFP/AFP/Getty Images. 0. The longest, highest and fastest-built on the planet: "Unparalleled" is perhaps the best word to describe the scale and ingenuity of China's bridge … It … It is considered an engineering wonder and its supporters say it will boost connectivity and tourism in the region. At 20 times the length of California's Golden Gate Bridge, the newly opened bridge linking the southern Chinese cities of … Beipanjiang Bridge Duge, China 1,854 feet (2016) 2. China builds the world’s longest bridge over the sea in 2018 Xi Jinping, the president of China, has inaugurated the world’s longest bridge over the sea.The numbers needed to build it are incredible; a budget of 20 billion dollars, 400 thousand tons of steel, and 9 years to build it. The three regional governments that collaborated on the project took financial responsibility for sections inside their own territories and shared the cost of the 14 mile (23 kilometer) long main bridge that runs between them. The $20 billion Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is the world's longest sea-crossing bridge. The bridge … Check out The China Report, our new weekly newsletter. World's longest sea bridge is almost finished after China spends £12bn and seven years building the mammoth overpass that stretches 34 MILES … Copyright © 2020 CGTN. 1. This massive span of concrete and steel is not just proof of China’s ability to build record-setting megastructures – it’s also a potent symbol of the country’s growing geopolitical ambitions. That’s where the bridge comes in. According to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Authority over 4,000 vessels – everything from passenger ferries to container ships – cruise its waters every day. PHOTO: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/Getty Images. PHOTO: Please click the button below to agree to our Terms and Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. The big draw in Macau – a former Portuguese colony – is its casinos. Two Chinese companies, CCCC and CR20 signed a contract this week to build a much sought-after bridge in the Brazilian state of Bahia, connecting its capital Salvador with the island of Itaparica. Built … STR/AFP/Getty Images. If an account exists, we've sent an email with a link to reset your password. ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP/Getty Images. Each element weighs 80,000 tons – about the same as an aircraft carrier. PHILIP FONG/AFP/Getty Images. The team used hydraulic hammers to drive the cylinders into the seabed, then filled the cylinders and the enclosed area with sand. Once the bridge is open, tourists – both from China and other countries – will be able to travel from Hong Kong’s airport to Macau and the mainland in about 45 minutes. MANILA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- China and the Philippines have recently signed contracts to build three more bridges in the capital Metro Manila to help improve traffic congestion, the Chinese embassy in the Philippines said on Monday. Two Chinese companies, CCCC and CR20 signed a contract this week to build a much sought-after bridge in the Brazilian state of Bahia, ​connecting its capital Salvador with the island of Itaparica. GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images. “It links Hong Kong to China almost like an umbilical cord. Called the world's longest cross-sea project, the bridge … See China’s new 34-mile-long bridge linking Hong Kong, mainland World’s longest sea-crossing span cost $20 billion, took almost decade to build The tunnel runs between two artificial islands, each measuring one million square feet (100,000 square meters) and situated in relatively shallow waters. The three bridges, which … China Plans to Build World's Longest Bridge Zhejiang, one of the most developed provinces in east China, is planning to build the world's longest bridge, a 36 … Verification email has been resent. DALE DE LA REY/AFP/Getty Images. This will be built by Chinese firm, China Communication Construction Company (CCCC) after it signed a deal with the country to design and build the bridge. Firm to build longest bridge By Lu Haoting (China Daily) Updated: 2007-07-14 06:51. PHOTO: China's President Xi Jinping (left) and Hong Kong's chief executive Carrie Lam (center) in Hong Kong, watching a presentation during a visit to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge on July 1, 2017. “When it comes to linking the mainland to Hong Kong, we have air, sea and land linkages already. PHOTO: Over four years, China funnelled $785 million into the construction of the Maputo-Catembe Bridge. Editor's Note: To mark the PRC's 70th anniversary, our series "Data Speaks" has dedicated five episodes to exploring China's stunning strides in the last seven decades. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge -- from underneath. Introducing the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge, the world's longest bridge over seawater. Photographed in the late 19th century the Caravan Bridge in the city of Izmir, Turkey, was built in 850 BC and is still standing -- and in use -- today. The speed limit on the bridge has been set at 62 miles (100 kilometers) an hour. 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