The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, the Government's principal officials and members of the Executive Council pose for a group photograph at the Qingzhou Channel Bridge section, during a visit to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, today said the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao (HKZM) Bridge was an example of the country’s advanced capability in building key, large-scale, infrastructure.
During a visit today to the Bridge, Mr Chui also said it would contribute to the effort of pressing ahead with the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The Bridge, as the first infrastructure project developed jointly by the Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao authorities under the “One country, two systems” principle, would also facilitate sustainable socio-economic development in the three places.
During today’s visit, Mr Chui was briefed by officials of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Authority on the challenges of building the Bridge. He was also briefed about how the Bridge would be able to withstand the typhoons that frequently affect the area; how the Bridge accommodates the flow of the water channels below it; and how its builders had addressed environmental issues.
The visit started from a toll plaza at the Zhuhai boundary crossing facilities, and ended at an artificial island located immediately to the west of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) boundary. During the car journey eastward in the direction of Hong Kong, Mr Chui had a chance to see the part of the Bridge that spans the Qingzhou Channel – known as the Qingzhou Channel Bridge. The steel towers of that part of the project are designed to resemble the shapes of traditional Chinese knots. During his journey Mr Chui also passed over another artificial island of the Bridge, connected to the westernmost one via an undersea tunnel.
Officials accompanying Mr Chui on the visit were: the Government's principal officials; the Public Prosecutor-General; some members of the Executive Council; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms O Lam; the Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Chan Chi Ping; and the Director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office, Ms Lei Ut Mui.
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, spanning the Lingding Channel of the Pearl River Estuary, is a major new link between the Hong Kong SAR, Zhuhai Prefecture in Guangdong Province, and the Macao SAR.
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is integrated into the planning of the national highway network and connects Hong Kong – on the eastern side of the Pearl River Estuary – to Zhuhai and Macao on the western side. It will provide a significant part of the Pearl River Delta regional transportation loop, which is a key new highway transport corridor crossing the Lingdingyang – i.e. middle channel – of the Pearl River Estuary – and connecting the eastern and western banks of the Pearl River.
The Bridge has a main section 29.6 kilometres in length, including an underwater tunnel approximately 6.7 kilometres long complemented by two artificial islands. It supports a three-lane carriageway in each direction. The main section of the Bridge links the respective boundary crossing facilities for Zhuhai and Macao to the artificial island located west of the Hong Kong SAR boundary.
