Xi announces opening of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, announces the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge at an opening ceremony in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 23, 2018. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

President Xi Jinping announced the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge at an opening ceremony in the city of Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, on Tuesday morning.

Leading officials from Guangdong and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions attended the 9 am ceremony, which takes place at the passenger clearance building of the Zhuhai Port.

There were hundreds representing the roughly 50,000 construction workers and engineers from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and Macao SARs who built the mega bridge, including leading engineers and designers.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, announces the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge at an opening ceremony in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 23, 2018. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Representatives of bridge operators from the three cities also attended the grand opening. These include HZMB Authority, immigration and customs officers from the ports in Zhuhai, and in the Hong Kong and Macao SARs.

The 55-kilometer bridge-island-tunnel complex, the first sea span across the Pearl River Estuary linking its west and east banks, becomes the premier sea-crossing in the world.

The bridge is the result of five years of feasibility research and another nine years of construction. The mega cross-boundary complex officially opens to traffic at 9 am on Wednesday.

Looking ahead, the bridge is expected to strengthen trade, financial collaboration, logistics and tourism among the three places.

It will bring residents in Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong within a "one-hour living circle", which is expected to attract more visitors to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

A group of attendees of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Opening Ceremony take a photo before the event begins on Tuesday morning. [Photo by He Shusi/China Daily]

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. [Photo/Xinhua]