Chinese president Xi Jinping has officially opened the world’s longest sea-crossing bridge, a 34-mile-long structure linking mainland China to the semi-autonomous territories of Hong Kong and Macau.
The project cost about £15.3 billion, and took just over nine years to complete, forming “a key element of China's plan for a Greater Bay Area covering 56,500 square kilometres [21,800 square miles] of southern China”, CNN reports. Beijing sees the area as a potential home-grown rival to Silicon Valley.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Thrilling must-see operas for 2025The Week Recommends From Carmen to Peter Grimes, these are the UK's top productions
-
There is a 'third state' between life and deathUnder the radar Cells can develop new abilities after their source organism dies
-
Is it worth getting an interest-only mortgage?The Explainer Your monthly payments may be cheaper but the full mortgage amount will need to be paid back eventually
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysisIn Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
-
Why Assad fell so fastThe Explainer The newly liberated Syria is in an incredibly precarious position, but it's too soon to succumb to defeatist gloom
-
Romania's election rerunThe Explainer Shock result of presidential election has been annulled following allegations of Russian interference
-
Russia's shadow war in EuropeTalking Point Steering clear of open conflict, Moscow is slowly ratcheting up the pressure on Nato rivals to see what it can get away with.
-
Cutting cables: the war being waged under the seaIn the Spotlight Two undersea cables were cut in the Baltic sea, sparking concern for the global network
-
The nuclear threat: is Vladimir Putin bluffing?Talking Point Kremlin's newest ballistic missile has some worried for Nato nations
-
Russia vows retaliation for Ukrainian missile strikesSpeed Read Ukraine's forces have been using U.S.-supplied, long-range ATCMS missiles to hit Russia
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
