On the Lingdingyang Bay, where the sea meets the sky, cities spread around this body of water like dazzling pearls. The highly anticipated Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge has officially opened, drawing a "crucial horizontal line" across the vast Pearl River estuary, linking cities like a string of pearls and expanding infinite possibilities of connection.

Towers reach into the clouds, and the bridge arches like a rainbow; two islands lie quietly, with a "swimming dragon" hidden beneath. Standing on the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, one can see a world-class bay area advancing courageously in the direction pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping, anchoring its position as "a strategic pivot in the new development pattern, a demonstration area for high-quality development, and a leading area for Chinese-style modernization," embracing an infinite world.

The "Crucial Horizontal Line" Expands Development Space

From an aerial view, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge is a unique presence among the Pearl River estuary's cross-river passages. As the only direct road connection between the urban agglomerations of Shenzhen-Dongguan-Huizhou and Zhuhai-Zhongshan-Jiangmen, it forms the "crucial horizontal line" in the A-shaped transportation network of the Pearl River estuary.

With the opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, this mega-project has transformed into a "super artery." The journey from Zhongshan to Shenzhen has been reduced from 2 hours to within 30 minutes. In the future, it will take only 15 minutes from Guangzhou's Nansha to Zhongshan, and the travel time from Zhuhai and Jiangmen to Shenzhen will be cut from over 2 hours to within 1 hour. The traffic pattern and imaginative space on both sides of the Pearl River estuary have been completely opened up. The three metropolitan areas of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and the west bank of the Pearl River estuary, with a combined population of over 80 million, will enter a "1-hour life circle" together.

"My hometown is in Zhongshan. Previously, traveling from Hong Kong to Zhongshan required changing buses and taking a ferry. Now, using the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, it takes only 1 hour," says Cai Guanshen, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and President of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, deeply moved by the rapid changes in his hometown.

As roads connect, wealth grows, and people thrive, cities on both sides of the Pearl River estuary are "flexing their muscles and preparing for action."

Seamless connection between Shenzhen and Zhongshan: With the opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, two inter-city bus routes have been simultaneously launched. With over 90 departures daily and fares ranging from 15 to 18 yuan for the entire journey, these scheduled operations have transformed cross-city travel into "intercity commuting."

At the government service center in Zhongshan's Cuiheng New District, over 200 "cross-city processing" items from Shenzhen's Longhua and Bao'an districts are available, covering areas such as talent services, social security, and healthcare, allowing citizens of both cities to enjoy "same-city services."

Two-way rush between both banks of the Pearl River: As travel times from cities like Zhuhai, Jiangmen, Yangjiang, Maoming, and Zhanjiang to Shenzhen are significantly reduced, cities on both sides of the Pearl River estuary are experiencing a "two-way rush."

Recently, electronic equipment and new energy storage enterprises from Shenzhen have frequently organized group visits to Jiangmen, seizing the "bridge dividend" and seeking destinations for orderly industrial transfer. Insta360 (Arashi Vision Inc.) has its headquarters in Shenzhen and its production base in Zhongshan, and is now accelerating the construction of an office center in Zhuhai. Co-founder Chen Yongqiang says, "The opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge will greatly facilitate the coordination between R&D and production departments."

Accelerated activation of resources in three areas: After the opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, its synergy with the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will create a pattern of direct cross-sea connections among Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macao, promoting efficient and convenient flow of various resource elements among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.

"With the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, it's more convenient to travel from Hengqin to Shenzhen. I hope to develop business in other cities of the Greater Bay Area," says Liu Zhilong, a young entrepreneur from Macao who started his business in Hengqin, Zhuhai, full of expectations.

After conducting field research, Chen Xian, a professor at the Antai College of Economics and Management of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, is very optimistic about the prospects: "The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge is expected to bring about five major effects: regional balance, spatial structure, industrial synergy, city integration, and collaborative governance, unleashing enormous energy for the regional economy."

"Super Interface" Ignites Industrial Innovation

For bay areas, bridges are an important factor influencing industrial patterns.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge connects San Francisco, Yerba Buena Island, and Oakland, with about 280,000 vehicle trips per day conveying the momentum of Silicon Valley's tech industry.

In the transportation network of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge is like a "super interface," perfectly connecting the technological capabilities of the eastern bank of the Pearl River estuary with the industrial potential of the western bank as the spatial-temporal distance shrinks.

To the east of the Pearl River estuary, the "Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou" technology cluster has ranked second globally for four consecutive years, with industrial technology urgently needing space for implementation. To the west, a large number of platforms for undertaking orderly industrial transfer are being constructed at full speed, with traditional industrial cities poised for a "second entrepreneurship."

In Shenzhen and Zhongshan, more and more enterprises are exploring new models of industrial cooperation such as "Shenzhen headquarters + Zhongshan manufacturing," "Shenzhen chain leader + Zhongshan supporting facilities," and "Shenzhen R&D + Zhongshan transformation."

In the eastern area of Cuiheng New District alone, more than 30 enterprises and projects with Shenzhen "genes" have been established, including China General Nuclear Power Corporation, China Resources Gas, Longsys, Desay SV, LKK Design, and Hioki Instruments. These industrial "partners" moving from the eastern bank to the western bank of the Pearl River estuary include both industry leaders and "single-product champions."

Spreading its "double wings," Shenzhen Newaec Technology Co., Ltd. is accelerating its layout on both sides of the estuary. One "wing" is rooted in Shenzhen, with a new R&D center already established in Bao'an District's Science and Technology Center. The other "wing" is invested in Zhongshan's Cuiheng New District, adjacent to the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, where an industrial park of over 70,000 square meters has been completed and put into production.

"Placing the R&D base in Shenzhen and the production base in Zhongshan, the two sides complement each other's strengths. It's like Newaec's two wings, both need to be strong," says Song Changning, General Manager of Newaec, firmly believing in his decision.

Last year, during his inspection of Guangdong, General Secretary Xi Jinping earnestly instructed Guangdong to "focus on building a globally influential industrial technology innovation center." With the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge as a fulcrum, the two technology innovation corridors of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong and Guangzhou-Zhuhai-Macao converge here, and the four major platforms of Qianhai, Nansha, Hengqin, and Hetao intersect here. "The four major platforms are expected to form greater synergy, especially with Qianhai and Hetao's radiating power more easily 'crossing the river,' which will help the western bank of the Pearl River estuary connect more closely with the global innovation network," says Liu Xinghuo, Deputy Director of the Institute of Public Economics at the China Development Institute (Shenzhen).

From Hong Kong to Guangzhou's Nansha, Xu Jiang, Director of the Guangzhou EDA Key Laboratory and Head of the Microelectronics Thrust at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), is preparing to "flex his muscles." He says, "Integrated circuits are the 'crown jewels' of modern technology, requiring close cooperation between industry, academia, and research, as well as massive resource input. As transportation becomes more convenient, the advantages of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao can complement each other, talent exchanges will become smoother, and more innovative momentum will be stimulated."

Chinese Strength Embraces Infinite World

As planes roar overhead and subways traverse the city, the bustling scene of three-dimensional transportation on both sides of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge emerges, showcasing the infinite vitality of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

On this fertile land of "one point, two places," the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge is bursting with vigorous vitality, demonstrating the speed and strength of the Bay Area, and showcasing Chinese power and spirit.

Completing the world's largest span (1,666 meters) offshore steel box girder suspension bridge in the sea, connecting the world's longest and widest subsea steel shell concrete immersed tube tunnel (6.8 kilometers), and constructing the world's largest (1 million tons) sea anchorage... Breaking 10 "world records," the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge has conquered the most challenging route.

Developing intelligent pouring equipment for steel shell immersed tubes, achieving the pouring of 29,000 cubic meters of self-compacting concrete in 30 days; building the world's first integrated ship for immersed tube floating transportation and installation, combining four functions of floating transportation, positioning, sinking, and installation; designing a DP dynamic positioning system to accurately complete 32 millimeter-level "deep-sea kisses"... Overcoming technical challenges one by one, winning victories millimeter by millimeter, over 2,000 days and nights, more than 15,000 builders faced fierce winds and waves, constructing this world-class cross-sea passage with awe-inspiring Chinese strength, transforming the construction drawing of the "Shenzhen-Zhongshan connection" into a real-life picture of an "infinite world."

Driving on the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, traffic flows between blue skies and clear waters, like a transmitting belt conveying the rhythm and pulse of the Bay Area's development, and delivering China's determination and confidence in opening up. Having worked on numerous world-class projects, Chen Shaozhang, the octogenarian technical consultant for the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, still looks forward to embarking on the next mega-project, saying, "We're in a great era now, and we should promote China's transportation to go global."

With vast waves rolling in the Lingdingyang Bay, in the new era and new journey, Guangdong is opening roads through mountains and building bridges across waters, winning victory after victory in Chinese-style modernization through step-by-step advancement of high-quality development, gathering a torch-like flame that illuminates the path of dreams ahead.

The Pearl River estuary surges with powerful waves. On this land that once witnessed the eventful years of reform and opening up, a world-class vibrant bay area demonstrates Chinese style with its endless creative power, embracing an infinite world!