By Sharifah Hunaini Syed Ismail
GUIZHOU (CHINA), Sept 22 (Bernama) — Suspended 625 metres above a deep canyon, China‘s newest bridge left journalists from eight countries in awe. The Huajiang Gorge Bridge, now nearing completion, links Guanling County in Anshun City with Zhenfeng County in Qianxinan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province.
Scheduled for completion on Sept 28, the bridge – also known as the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge – will hold the world record for the longest main span among mountain bridges and become the tallest bridge in mountain canyons globally.
Foreign journalists attending the 2025 Media Cooperation Forum on the Belt and Road, alongside local media, were granted exclusive access to the site before its public opening.
Guizhou Transportation Planning and Design Research Institute chief engineer Yang Jian said the bridge, which is 99.9 per cent complete, is a key project for the Liuzhi-Anlong Expressway and a model for bridge-tourism integration in Guizhou. The project was invested in and constructed by Guizhou Communications Investment Group Co Ltd.
Situated at a site known as the ‘Fissure of the Earth’, the bridge spans 2,890 metres, with a main span of 1,420 metres. Its deck stands 625 metres above the river below.
Yang emphasised that the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge is an independently branded project, designed and built entirely by Guizhou, using predominantly local materials.
“The construction team, supported by Guizhou Communications Investment Group and comprising the National Distinguished Engineers Team – known as the Guizhou Mountainous and Canyon Bridge Construction Technology Team – has infused intelligence and vitality into the project,” Yang said during a briefing on Sunday.
Since construction began in 2020, a young team with an average age of 32 has worked in the rugged mountains, meticulously overseeing every phase of the project.
“Over more than three years, the team completed the bridge, exemplifying the efficiency of ‘China Speed’ and the capability of the Guizhou people,” he added.
The project, also branded as Bridge-Tourism Integration 3.0, aims to establish a world-class tourism destination by combining bridge sightseeing, sports experiences, and tourism services.
The bridge and surrounding complex cost approximately RM2.2 billion.
Yang highlighted the team’s proactive approach, innovation, and adoption of new technologies and materials. Technical breakthroughs included a lightweight forge-welded cable saddle, professional canyon wind observation equipment, ultra-high-strength weather-resistant main cable strands, and the use of stone powder as a concrete admixture.
Advanced construction methods incorporated big data, digital bridge technology, intelligent cable strands, cloud-based modular temperature control systems for mass concrete, and automated high-pier spraying and curing systems.
Journalists praised the bridge-tourism integration concept as bold and innovative. The project, themed “National Treasures of Strategic Importance plus Guizhou Triassic Fossil Sites,” combines canyon scenery, Triassic geology, local culture, and outdoor recreation.
The complex features industrialised programmes blending bridge and sports tourism, including landscape corridors, glass viewing halls, sightseeing elevators, and experiential activities. Twenty commercial properties are planned, spanning 18 business formats, including food markets, retail outlets, and agricultural exhibitions.
Sports and recreational offerings include high-altitude bungee jumping, aerial swings, racing tracks, and a “thrilling step-by-step walk.” A light-and-water curtain show will feature a 300-metre-long water curtain equipped with a high-precision laser system.
The bridge corridor houses a 1,152-square-metre glass sightseeing hall, 850 metres from the bridge tower and 625 metres above the river. The hall was developed in collaboration with the Geological Museum of Guizhou, China National Gold Group Co Ltd, and the Department of Civil Affairs of Guizhou Province.
A 207-metre sightseeing elevator will allow tourists to reach the bridge top, connecting to the glass corridor on the lower deck. A hotel covering 15,552 square metres offers 83 guest rooms, an infinity pool, a fitness centre, multifunctional meeting rooms, and a restaurant.
Guizhou History and Literature Institute researcher and Guizhou Normal University Professor Zhang Ziaosong noted that the site is also an archaeological area containing Triassic fossils. The Guizhou Triassic Fossil Sites are on UNESCO’s tentative list, with potential inscription in 2027. Fossils dating back 250 million years will be displayed in two museums within the complex.
“About 250 million years ago, this area was ocean,” Zhang said. “The main building was designed in a ‘yacht’ shape to reflect this oceanic heritage.”
Despite ongoing construction, journalists voiced concern about the Sept 28 completion date. Zhang reassured them: “No problem. It will be completed by then. Haven’t you heard of China Speed?” The term refers to China’s rapid infrastructure development, driven by centralised planning, fast decision-making, and efficient execution.
Communist Party of Huajiang Town deputy secretary Xu Daihui welcomed the journalists and highlighted the town’s attractions, including Huangguoshu Waterfall and the National Geological Park.
“Our new landmark, Huajiang Gorge Bridge, offers 360-degree views. Visitors can experience it from speedboats on the river or from the air by helicopter. Over the past two decades, these mountains and rivers have been dramatically transformed,” Xu said.
The 24 journalists, representing 20 media outlets from ASEAN countries, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, and the Republic of Korea, attended after the 11th ASEAN Plus Three Media Cooperation Forum, held on Sept 17 in Kunming, Yunnan Province.
The event was co-hosted by People’s Daily, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Yunnan Provincial Committee, and the People’s Government of Yunnan Province.
— BERNAMA
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