Inaugurated a 55 km long bridge between Hong Kong and Macao

Zhuhai (APA / AFP) – On the Chinese coast, the longest sea bridge in the world was inaugurated on Tuesday. Chinese head of state Xi Jinping inaugurated the 55-kilometer long building, which spans the Pearl River Delta and connects the two special administrative areas of Macao and Hong Kong.

"I officially open the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge," said the president at a ceremony in Zhuhai (China), a border town in northern Macao.

The region is one of the largest economies in China. Critics of the Mammoth project complain of high costs, instances of corruption within the authorities involved and security deficiencies that have resulted in the death of several workers.

The bridge also raises political concerns, particularly in Hong Kong. Critics see this building as a new attempt to link the former British autonomous colony to the People's Republic of China.

The construction of the giant project had already begun in 2009. There are no official costs, estimated at more than 100 billion yuan (13 billion euros). Part of the route takes a tunnel under the sea for which artificial islands have been piled up. For traffic, the bridge must open on Wednesday.