China’s new $6.7 billion bridge is a symbol of the country’s growing ambitions on the international stage.

Hong Kong (CNN) In a country famous for its record-breaking infrastructure, the project stands out.

With a total length of 24 kilometers, an eight-lane road, artificial islands, and an undersea tunnel, the $6.7 billion (about ¥940 billion at today’s rate) bridge “Fukanaka Dori” is nothing short of ambitious. .

The bridge’s builders, which have been heavily touted in state media, claim to have set a new world record by laying more than 22,600 square meters of asphalt in just one day, the equivalent of more than 50 basketball courts.

But perhaps surprisingly, this bridge is not the longest in the world. That title is ceded to another bridge just 20 miles away, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which is about 55 kilometers long.

Some say the construction of such a massive bridge so close is a reflection of China’s growing ambitions on the international stage and the challenges it faces in achieving them.

Due to open next year after eight years of construction, the Shenzhong Expressway, like its neighbor in Hong Kong, will be central to China’s grandiose vision. The plan is to turn the Greater Bay Area, which boasts one of the largest areas and population density in the world, into an economic and technological hub on par with San Francisco, New York, and Tokyo.

Like the bridge itself, the scale of the ambition is simply grand. The Greater Bay Area has a population of 68 million and a total area of ​​about 56,400 square kilometers, covering 11 cities including Hong Kong and Macao, as well as nine cities such as Zhongshan and Shenzhen. Shenzhen alone has a population of over 12 million people and is home to multi-billion dollar companies such as drone maker DJI and social media company Tencent, earning it the nickname “China’s Silicon Valley.” there is

The idea is that the Chinese government wants to integrate the cities of this vast and diverse area, both physically and conceptually. Travel times between Zhongshan and Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (the third busiest in mainland China, with more than 37 million passengers in 2019) are also expected to be reduced from two hours on existing roads to 20 minutes. .

But many say the bridge has other purposes as well. It is a politically charged attempt to unite completely different regions — Hong Kong, a former British colony, and Macao, a former Portuguese colony — into a single identity, China. Some critics say that the scale of the bridge pales in comparison to the scale of these speculations.

make a point

Austin Strange, an expert in Chinese diplomacy at the University of Hong Kong, said the new bridge would certainly bring “substantial economic benefits” by reducing commuting times and traffic between cities.

But the bridge also has another side, Strange said, likening it to China’s One Belt, One Road policy, which spends millions on infrastructure such as ports and roads around the world.

The “Fukaka Todo” project has an artificial island and an undersea tunnel

Many see the Belt and Road project as another attempt by China to increase its economic and political influence in the international community. Some have accused China of exerting influence over small nations by making loans that it is unlikely to repay.

The bridge will be built in China, so there are no such debt concerns, but the scale of the project conveys a message, experts say.

“The Chinese government is clearly touting this bridge as one of the world’s greatest achievements,” Strange said. “Infrastructure is the cornerstone of China’s reputation in global development and is key to linking domestic and international development.”

However, the extent to which a bridge can impress other countries will depend not only on the size of the bridge, but also on the extent to which the bridge will ultimately be supported and used by users.

Otherwise, China will face the criticism that some of the belt and road mega-projects are often faced with as a “money-laden junk.”

Much like the bridge that connects the San Francisco Bay coastline, China’s giant businesses are likely to cut travel time, according to Kaji Kuni, a professor of finance at the University of Chicago.

But only the local Zhongshan residents will benefit, he said. Neither a business district nor a tourist spot, the idyllic town has no particular incentive to attract people from the outside.

Projects can easily become bloated, he says, so be wary of the impact on travel time and costs. “That is my concern.

bridge over rough seas

The Chinese government’s plan for the Greater Bay Area is ambitious, but it already has its peaks and valleys.

The idea was first raised in 2009, but experts say that differences in characteristics and barriers between cities in the area are hindering development.

This area contains three boundaries. Mainland China and the former colonies of Hong Kong and Macau, now special administrative regions of China, have different entry-exit and legal systems, as well as different currencies.

In addition, residents carry three different passports and identification cards and speak two Chinese languages ​​(Cantonese and Mandarin).

Driving is also divided into right-hand traffic and left-hand traffic. Putting all of these together, even if you want to move easily between cities by land, you are faced with a mountain of hurdles.

Aerial view of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, the world’s largest sea bridge, in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China, March 19, 2019

Critics say some of these problems were already apparent when Shenzhong’s sister project, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, opened in 2018.

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge connects mainland China’s city of Zhuhai, the casino city of Macau and Hong Kong, one of the world’s leading financial centers.

Even in 2019, a year after opening, the bridge was still underwhelming, with only 4,000 uses per day according to the Hong Kong Transport Authority (compared to Europe’s Anglo-French Channel, which connects Britain and France). In the case of the tunnel, according to the official website, more than 8,000 vehicles used the tunnel daily on average in March of this year.)

Experts attributed the slow response to the need for multiple visas and vehicle registrations to travel between the three cities. All the more so since high-speed ferries between the three cities already operate daily. Terminals where ferries depart are often easier to access than border areas where bridges enter.

During the coronavirus pandemic, traffic on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge dropped to hundreds of vehicles a day. This is because all three cities have been shut down as part of the strict “zero corona” policy. However, it has recovered since the pandemic. State media reported that up to 9,000 vehicles used the bridge in a single day during this month’s Labor Day.

But the dispute over the bridge goes beyond pure financial issues.

Some see the bridge as a political stance. Opponents criticize the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge as a tool to force Hong Kong to assimilate with China and exercise influence, which was shaken by pro-democracy movements in 2014 and 2019.

Don’t worry, “there will be traffic jams”

Still, there are fans who support Hashi.

Xiao Geng of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) said the Shenzhen Tunnel would raise standards in the two regions.

“The west side of the coast is not as developed as the east side. There is a big difference in real estate prices on both sides,” said Xiao Geng.

Xiao Geng also said it was different from the previous bridge, which was plagued by “fundamentally different” systems in the three cities and kept people away from high travel costs.

Xiao Geng pointed out that the system will be the same as the new bridge will connect two cities in mainland China.

“Don’t worry, there will be traffic jams,” Xiao Geng said.