The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, connecting the east and west sides of the Pearl River Delta in south China, will officially open on Tuesday. Residents in the city of Zhuhai expressed their excitement and expectation.
Yu Jun, a software engineer working at Kingsoft, said he was proud to see China accomplish these types of engineering miracles over the past decades. Likewise, Liu Debao from Sany Heavy Industry said he sensed the country's increasing technological and talent capacity. Liu believed the completion of the project will promote economic and cultural exchanges between Macao, Zhuhai and Hong Kong, and will unite them as a family.
Meanwhile, people from all walks of life have predicted the possible impact of the bridge on their lives ahead of the unveiling.
Consultant Prof. H.c. Josef b. Capousek from the EU praised the marvelous construction of the crossing and its contribution to more convenient transportation.
Locals talk about the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. /CGTN Photo
Larry Leung, a Hong Kong businessman now managing a project in Zhuhai, said the bridge allows people to commute between locations all within a day, and will attract more Hong Kong people like him to seek opportunities in the Greater Bay Area.
Gu Bing, who works at the casino resort MGM Macau, said he could see more people traveling between Macao, Hong Kong and Zhuhai. "Tourism will boom for sure. We are eager to know more details about tolls and parking arrangements," he said.
At Zhuhai's Jiuzhou Port, people have also been sharing thoughts and even concerns over the bridge.
Huang Yuhong from Jiuzhou Port Passenger Service Company admitted that the bridge will take away some of their passengers yet provide a new choice. He explained that water transport has advantages in service and one-stop journeys, while the bridge has the convenience factor. "I believe together, we can expand the passenger market," he added.
Zhou Xiaobao, a stay-at-home mom whose partner comes from Macao, traveled a lot to Macao. She hoped the government could ease restrictions on traffic permits so that regular citizens can go across the bridge with their Macao or Hong Kong license plates, instead of getting a special one.