On March 21, Dr. Alexis Tam Chon Weng, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture and Chairperson of Tourism Development Committee (CDT) led a delegation of 41 CDT members to Zhuhai visiting the main crossing section of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) and the Zhuhai-Macao Artificial Island. Transportation Infrastructure Office coordinated the visit, we received warm welcome from Wei Dongqing, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, and Tam Kuong Man, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Authority, had them introducing the latest progress of the HZMB.

    The HZMB construction project is officially launched in 2009, which is approximately 55 kilometres in total. The main crossing section is about 29.6 kilometres long which includes a sea-crossing, offshore artificial island and sub-sea tunnel. The HZMB is expected to be completed in 2017 and will be the world’s longest bridge-cum-tunnel sea-crossing with dual 3-lane carriageway, linking the east and west bank of the Pearl River. Upon completion, the travel time between Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao will be reduced to approximately one hour, which helps promote logistics, regional cooperation, transportation, multi-destination travel, passengers mobility enhancement, mutual complementarity, and indeed beneficial to push the building of Macao as a “World Centre of Tourism and Leisure”.

    During the visit, Wei Dongqing explained in detail the structure, technical challenges, construction progress of the HZMB, he also introduced the overall planning and immigration arrangements of the Zhuhai-Macao Artificial Island, saying that the HZMB has targeted to achieve readiness for commissioning by end 2017, the specific date would be subject to consultation with the Governments of Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao.

    Dr. Alexis Tam Chon Weng thanked Wei Dongqing and Tam Kuong Man for their warm hospitality and believed that, through this visit, the major stakeholders of Macao tourism industry had a better understanding of the construction and function of the HZMB and Zhuhai-Macao Artificial Island, saying that the HZMB would play a positive role in promoting sustainable tourism of Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao and put forward the feasibility of hosting sports events such as marathon and cycling. Wei Dongqing said the HZMB qualified to host such sports events before officially opened to traffic, however customs clearance would be an issue and which might need the governments to reach consensus before implementation; Tam Kuong Man added that the first consideration of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Authority was the safety of construction and traffic, but also took into account the importance of tourism development, space has been reserved at the East Artificial Island for tourism facilities, hopefully the Governments of Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao cooperated and developed effective tourism policies in the future.

    Afterwards, CDT members visited the showroom of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Authority located at the Zhuhai-Macao Artificial Island. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Authority representatives introduced further information about the HKMB through intro video and exchanged views with CDT members on shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, car parks, traffic arrangement and bridge charges at Zhuhai-Macao Artificial Island. The visit was brought to a satisfactory close around noon, CDT members said that they have benefited a great deal from the visit, by realizing the progress of the HZMD to make proper arrangements in advance to cooperate with the Macao SAR Government on the construction of "World Centre of Tourism and Leisure ".