By Staff Reporter
Copyright macaonews
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge officially opened to traffic in southwest Guizhou Province on Sunday, with the milestone described as “another monumental achievement in Guizhou’s world-leading bridge-building legacy.”
Standing 625 metres above the Huajiang river, nearly the height of Shanghai Tower, the structure surpassed the 565-metre-tall Beipanjiang Bridge – also in Guizhou Province – to become the tallest in the world.
At 2,890 metres long, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge achieved multiple technological breakthroughs in wind resistance and high-altitude construction during the three-plus years it was being built, reports say.
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The bridge promises to be a game changer for regional connectivity, slashing travel time between the Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and Anshun City in Guizhou down from two hours to just two minutes. Locals hope it will stimulate tourism and trade while improving the quality of life in the ruggedly mountainous area.
Sunday’s inauguration also featured the Guizhou in Motion 2025 International High Bridge Extreme Sports Invitational Tournament, attracting athletes from countries including the US and France. Competitors praised the bridge’s scale and setting, calling it “one of the most unique structures in the world.”
Guizhou is home to nearly half of the world’s 100 highest bridges, including the top three. Chief project engineer Liu Hao said the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge reflected a broader national dedication to infrastructure. “In China, our commitment goes to bringing prosperity to all our people, especially those in our less developed western provinces, so they can have a better life,” he told media.