BEIJING, China – China opened the world’s highest bridge to traffic on Sunday, marking the completion of an impressive engineering feat that took three years to build and setting a new global record in the mountainous province of Guizhou.
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge soars 625 metres above a river and vast gorge in China’s rugged southern province, surpassing the previous record holder—the 565 metre Beipanjiang Bridge located in the same province, which now holds the title of world’s second highest bridge.
Live drone footage broadcast by state media on Sunday captured vehicles crossing the immense structure, with its distinctive blue support towers partially shrouded in clouds. The dramatic visuals highlighted the bridge’s remarkable engineering achievement in one of China’s most challenging terrains.
Crowds of onlookers, including project engineers and local officials, gathered on the bridge for an opening ceremony to commemorate the milestone. Several participants expressed their pride and excitement in live interviews with state media, celebrating what many described as a triumph of modern engineering.
“The opening of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge reduces travel time between the two sides from two hours to two minutes,” said Zhang Yin, head of the provincial transport department, during a press conference on Wednesday.
The bridge’s opening brings “enormous improvements to regional transportation conditions and injects new impetus into regional economic and social development,” Zhang added.
The completion of this bridge represents part of China’s massive investment in major infrastructure projects over recent decades, coinciding with a period of rapid economic growth and urbanization across the country.
Guizhou province, known for its mountainous terrain, has become a showcase for bridge engineering excellence. The hilly region is now crisscrossed by thousands of bridges, including the world’s two highest structures.
According to state news agency Xinhua, nearly half of the world’s 100 highest bridges are now located in Guizhou province, highlighting China’s dominance in high-altitude bridge construction.
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge required more than three years to complete, according to Xinhua reports. Its 1,420-metre main span makes it the “world’s largest-span bridge built in a mountainous area,” the news agency noted.
While China now claims the record for the world’s highest bridge, France’s Millau viaduct retains the distinction of being the world’s tallest bridge when measured by the height of its own structure rather than its distance from the ground, standing at 343 metres.
The successful completion of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge further solidifies China’s position as a global leader in bridge engineering and infrastructure development, particularly in challenging mountainous environments.
