Laying foundation for Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge yesterday and joining Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge together today

There have been two major developments in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area's sea-crossing infrastructure in these two days.

Yesterday, the cross-river Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge (SZB) had its first steel cylinder fixed in the Pearl River, marking the start of the actual construction phase of the SZB project. The SZB will have a total length of around 24 kilometres, linking the east and west banks of the estuary of the Pearl River. It is a mega, world-class cross-sea project consisting of a cluster of infrastructure, including a sea-crossing bridge, a subsea tunnel, artificial islands and an underground interchange.

Today, the subsea tunnel of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) was joined to its Main Bridge. Thirty days later, the Main Bridge's viaduct, subsea tunnel and artificial islands will be fully connected.

Apart from the SZB and the HZMB, other current projects linking up Hong Kong and other cities in the Bay Area include the Second Humen Bridge, the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai link and Boundary Control Point.  These major infrastructure projects, upon their successive completion, will greatly shorten the travel distance and journey time between Hong Kong and other cities in the Bay Area, and will make sweeping changes to the lives and career prospects of Hong Kong people.

These are the great plans that our generation of Chinese people feel proud of.

May 2, 2017