Controversial sea bridge set to open

– China has finally announced the opening ceremony for the world’s longest sea bridge, which will connect Hong Kong, Macau and the mainland, but critics hit back yesterday over the secrecy surrounding the project.

Construction started in 2009 on the 55km crossing, which includes a snaking road bridge and underwater tunnel, linking Hong

Hong Kong

Kong’s Lantau island to the southern mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai and the gambling enclave of Macau, across the waters of the Pearl River Estuary.

It has been dogged by delays, budget overruns, corruption prosecutions and the deaths of construction workers.

While supporters promote it as an engineering marvel, others see the multibillion-dollar project as a costly white elephant designed to further integrate Hong Kong into the mainland at a time when Beijing is tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous city.

China’s President Xi Jinping is reported to be attending the opening on Tuesday, but there has been no official confirmation whether the bridge will go into operation that day. – AFP