The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge connects Guangdong Province with the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau. The bridge opened to traffic in October in 2018. Yang Shanshan looks at its role in helping integrate business in the Greater Bay Area.

Fifty-five kilometres in length, this is the world's longest sea crossing, linking ports like Zhuhai to Hong Kong and Macau. In less than five year since the bridge opened to traffic, trade at Zhuhai port has exceeded 600 billion yuan, or around 90 billion U.S. dollars.

YANG SHANSHAN Zhuhai "Behind me is the freight vehicle pass at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. The bridge is helping facilitate people exchanges and trade in the Greater Bay Area, reducing the required transport time from Zhuhai port to Hong Kong international airport from four hours to only 45 minutes."

This business is seeing a difference too.

WENG XIPENG General Manager Heime Aquaculture Import and Export "The reduction of transport time greatly reduce our cost and improves the quality of our fresh seafood products that are sold to people in Hong Kong via this bridge. Our business has become quite competitive and the company's seafood exports account for about 25 percent of the Hong Kong market."

New technology is in place to help facilitate so-called one-stop customs clearance.

GUO YANHAI Deputy Director General Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Customs "We have introduced a lot of technology to reduce customs clearance time by 80 percent compared to when the port was opened. We will continue efforts to improve the business environment and help drive high-quality development in trade."

The efficient customs process also promotes cross-border E-commerce business at Zhuhai port, with trade increasing by over 170 percent in the first five months of this year and business covering 235 countries and regions. Connecting Guangdong and two special administrative regions, this bridge is expected to further promote economic integration in the Greater Bay area. Yang Shanshan, CGTN, Zhuhai.