Project of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge under construction

Photo taken on Aug. 2, 2017 shows bullet trains at the parking place in Hong Kong, south China. The Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link is expected to be completed in 2018. From Guangdong to Hong Kong and Macao, can people work in one city and sleep in another? With the help of infrastructure connectivity, it becomes achievable to establish a "one-hour circle" within the Greater Bay Area in the near future. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as a city cluster involving overall population of 66 million in south China, encompasses Hong Kong, Macao and nine cities in Guangdong Province. Many major infrastructure projects will help turn the bay area into a more dynamic economic zone that is suitable for living, doing business and travelling. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link will connect Hong Kong to the renowned high-speed rail network of China via a 26-km tunnel. After the project is completed next year, the travel time from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, capital city of the bordering Guangdong Province, will be shortened from two hours to only 48 minutes. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge, the world's longest manmade sea crossing, consists of a 22.9-km bridge and 6.7-km underground tunnel that spans the width of the Pearl River Delta. The Y-shaped bridge will cut travel time between Hong Kong and Zhuhai from three hours to just 30 minutes. With expanding capacities of roads, railways and ports, the Greater Bay Area will see a highly convenient and efficient transportation network. (Xinhua/Zhou Xueting)