photo: People's Daily, China / X (Twitter)/The Hzuajiang Grand Canyon Bridge construction
It starts like a myth from a modern empire: steel spanning sky over a canyon so deep it once took hours to cross. But China's Huajiang Bridge isn't chasing legend—it's rewriting the rules of global infrastructure, towering 625 metres high with ambitions as heavy as its 22,000 tonnes of steel.
China has once again claimed a world record in infrastructure. In the mountainous province of Guizhou, the country is nearing completion of the world’s highest bridge, stretching 625 metres above the Huajiang Canyon. Weighing as much as three Eiffel Towers and built to drastically reduce travel time across difficult terrain, this engineering marvel confirms China’s undisputed dominance in global bridge construction.
China’s Bridge-Building Boom: A Global Benchmark in Engineering
With more than half of the world’s tallest bridges located on its territory, China is the undisputed leader in bridge engineering. The country’s focus on elevated infrastructure is not simply about breaking records. Bridges consume less land, avoid obstacles like buildings and natural barriers, and offer quicker, more maintainable construction compared to traditional road routes. While the Guinness-worthy headlines are impressive, the real driving force behind these projects is practicality and infrastructural efficiency.
The bridge in question spans the Huajiang Canyon in Guizhou province, a rugged region more than 1,200 kilometres from Shenzhen. Travel across the canyon currently takes two hours by car. Once operational, the bridge will cut that journey down to a matter of minutes. For local populations and supply chains, the time savings are profound and the economic implications far-reaching.
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According to Forbes, the bridge’s steel girders weigh a staggering 22,000 tonnes, roughly the combined mass of three Eiffel Towers. Its sleek design is tailored to minimise wind resistance and environmental disruption. The structure is already 95% complete and is scheduled to open in June 2025. Sitting at 625 metres above the valley floor, it will be a nerve-testing experience for anyone afraid of heights.
To put this elevation in context, One World Trade Center in New York—the tallest building in the U.S.—stands at 541 metres. The new Chinese bridge surpasses that by over 80 metres. As Zhang Shenglin of Guizhou Highway Group told China Daily, "This megaproject spanning a fault in the Earth will become a global icon of infrastructure. It’s further proof of China’s engineering prowess."
Huajiang Bridge: Record-Breaking Height and Strategic Utility
The Huajiang Canyon Bridge will exceed the current record-holder, Duge Bridge, by 60 metres. That bridge, also located in Guizhou, sits over the same river 200 kilometres away. While primarily designed for automotive transport, the scale and symbolic value of this new bridge are unmistakable. The total cost is estimated at approx. EUR 260 million.
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Perhaps most remarkable is the construction speed. Chinese workers broke ground in 2022, and the bridge is expected to open just three years later. This timeline sharply contrasts with other global megaprojects. For example, Canada’s Gordie Howe International Bridge has taken seven years, while France’s celebrated Millau Viaduct took only three years to build but required a decade of preparation before breaking ground.
This is far from China’s only mega-scale infrastructure feat. The country also hosts the world’s largest hydroelectric dam, the second tallest skyscraper globally, and one of the largest airports on Earth. Taken together, these projects are part of a deliberate strategy to consolidate economic power, expand domestic connectivity, and cement China’s position at the forefront of global infrastructure.
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Sources: Forbes; BBC; RAILTARGET