The bridge that became ‘China’s impossible engineering feat’

2018-01-10
CGTN

The world’s highest bridge, the Beipanjiang Bridge, located in Southwest China’s Guizhou province, opened for traffic on December 29, 2016.

The bridge is 1,341 meters long and is as high as a 200-story building, with the famous Eiffel Tower measuring out to just over half of its height.

In May 2017, BBC released a short documentary for the bridge, titled “China’s Impossible Engineering Feat,” revealing the construction techniques and challenges while building the bridge, and the fact that it is life-changing to the communities in the Yunnan-Guizhou mountainous areas.

It is the latest example of how Chinese engineering now ranks among the best worldwide, and BBC said its ingenious system has “revolutionized bridge-building in landscapes like this.”

In its first year of operation, it has shortened the traveling time between the two cities at Yunnan-Guizhou border from five hours to just one hour. It is a vital project on the Hangzhou-Ruili Expressway, connecting East China with the country’s southwestern region.

Along with the grandeur of the bridge, many foreign media and netizens are also impressed with the “Chinese speed.” It only took four years to complete the project with the cost of about $143 million, while in the US, the 3.2-km-long Second Avenue Subway in New York City took over 80 years, costing $4.45 billion.