OCT 28 WORLD'S LONGEST SEA BRIDGE OPENS IN CHINA

OCT 28  WORLD'S LONGEST SEA BRIDGE OPENS IN CHINA

The date is October 7, 1910. The place is Kowloon. Gathered along the waterfront are Hong Kong's most prominent businessmen. Not surprisingly, Sir Frederick Lugard is front and center. He was the catalyst in the construction of the new railway line at this morning's opening ceremony. With his top-hat and tails, Sir Lugard makes a brief speech in front of a modest train station. Everyone smiles: For the first time, the thriving port of Hong Kong is linked to the mainland manufacturing magnet city of Canton.

The date is October 24, 2018. The place is Kowloon. Gathered along the waterfront are China's top politicians. Not surprisingly, President Xi Jinping is front and center. He was a catalyst in the construction of the new automobile bridge at this morning's opening ceremony. With his utterly drab navy blue suit, Jinping gives a brief speech. For the first time ever, Hong Kong, Macau and the mainland mecca of Canton (now called Guangzhou) are linked by roads.

However, what makes this item truly blog-worthy is the bridge itself. See, Hong Kong and Macau are separated by the enormous Pearl River Delta. The former British and former Portuguese colonies are located 34 miles apart from each other. This means the newly christened Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is now the longest sea bridge in the world. (Sorry, Lake Pontchartrain Causeway...you're now #2!) This figure doesn't include the four miles of tunnel at the beginning. It's yet another staggering engineering feat accomplished by the People's Republic.

Now that the span is open to the public, the bridge will accomplish the same goal the British did a century ago: Linking the industrious Canton Province...and its 60 million people...to the industrious ports on the coast. In addition to moving commerce, the highway will help people move more quickly between the two places. Many mainlanders can now drive to the casinos of Macao and the luxury shops along Hong Kong's Nathan Road.

All of which has many Old-School Hong Kong residents concerned. They see the new bridge as yet another encroachment by the People's Republic of China into their own city's affairs. When Hong Kong was transferred from the UK to the PRC in 1997, it was supposed to remain 'untouched' for fifty years. 'One Country-Two Systems' means that Hong Kong controls its own economy, politics and judiciary. Also worrisome were the 19 people who died building the bridge. Nonetheless, the economic juggernaut known as the People's Republic continues to push forward at breakneck speed.