Explainer | What is the new Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link and how will it affect Hong Kong?
- The Post examines new piece in infrastructure puzzle and why it has some in Hong Kong’s logistics sector worried
After seven years of construction, a massive road project linking the two sides of the Pearl River Delta will open to traffic on Sunday in a boost to connectivity for nearby cities.
But some commentators have said the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link poses direct competition to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge located 38km (24 miles) to its south.
The Post examines the aims of the project and what impact it will have on the flow of goods and people to Hong Kong.
1. Why was the new link built?
About 30km to the north of the new piece of infrastructure is the Humen Bridge connecting Guangzhou’s Panyu district and Dongguan. It was built in 1997 and has been heavily used in recent years amid strong economic growth in the region.
The new link will provide an alternative to this route and cut the travel time between Shenzhen and Zhongshan from at least two hours to as little as 25 minutes.
The new crossing also formed part of planned infrastructure to create a “one-hour traffic circle” in the Greater Bay Area.