Zhuhai is to become a megacity and gateway to the Greater Bay Area sooner rather than later, it was decided at the 11th Plenary Session of the 8th CPC Zhuhai Municipal Committee. And the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) is the lever with which to bring those cities closer together while building the economy of cities on the west side of the Pearl River.

An emerging transport hub on the west bank of the Pearl River Estuary, Zhuhai on Oct 24, 2018 became the only Chinese mainland city directly connected to both Hong Kong and Macao by roadway with the opening of the HZMB.

Further supporting Macao, the new Hengqin Checkpoint came into operation Aug 18, 2020, facilitating the flow of travel, cargo, and trade using a "Joint Inspection & One-time Release" model. Soon the Macao Light Rail Transit will extend to the checkpoint.

In Gongbei, the Qingmao Checkpoint (New Guangdong-Macao Channel) is near completion. The checkpoint is a short walk to the Intercity MRT Zhuhai Station and will alleviate much pressure on the nearby Gongbei Checkpoint.

In the west, the Huangmao Sea Channel Bridge is under construction to connect Zhuhai and Jiangmen economic zones. The bridge highway leads to the HZMB in the east and merges into the Guangdong Western Coastal Expressway in the west.

The Huangmao Bridge is to contribute to synergic development between the Hengqin Free Trade Zone, Gaolan Port Economic Zone, and Jiangmen's Greater Guanghai Bay Economic Zone, as well as to further interconnect the Greater Bay Area.

HZMB [Photo by Li Jianshu / Zhuhai Daily]

To the north, Zhuhai will move ahead with construction of the Lingding Sea Channel (Shenzhen-Zhuhai Link), as well as the passage between Jinqin Express Road's north extension line and the Zhongshan East Outer Ring Expressway.

Nearby in Tangjiawan, a comprehensive transport hub will be built at Zhuhai North Railway Station for high-speed and intercity railways and urban rail transit.

As for railways, construction of the Guangzhou-Zhuhai (Macao) and Zhuhai-Zhaoqing high-speed railways and Shenzhen-Zhuhai Intercity Railway are in the pipeline. Next, Zhuhai will seek to include the construction of the Shenzhen-Zhuhai Intercity Railway extension west of Jiangmen to Yangjiang in national and provincial plans. 

The Zhuhai Airport Urban Rail Transit Phase I became operational on Aug 18, 2020, while the second phase will operate by 2023. Direct intercity trains to Guangzhou and Foshan have been running since June 25.

Construction is expected to begin this year on the Nansha-Zhuhai (Zhongshan) Intercity MRT, previously known as the extension of Guangzhou Metro Line 18. An urban rail transit in Gaolan Port, Hengqin, and Zhuhai (Jinwan) Airport has also been studied and is currently in the planning and application stages.

Zhuhai (Jinwan) Airport, the only domestic-flights airport on the west bank of the Pearl River Estuary, has been growing rapidly. Passenger throughput surpassed 10 million in 2019 and the facility will be capable of handling 27.5 million travelers annually when renovations and expansion are completed in 2024. Preparatory work for a second runway is expected to be included in the national 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) for the beginning of international flights.

Gaolan, the only deep-water port on the west bank of the Pearl River Estuary, had cargo throughout of more than 100 million tons in 2017. The deep-water shoreline of Zhuhai Port's container terminal was increased to 4 km (2.5 miles), with several berths at Gaolan Port Container Terminal Phase II entering trial operation.

The port is progressing toward container terminal Phase III and other infrastructure, opening more international shipping routes, enhancing cooperation with surrounding ports, and increasing its modernization level relying on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai Trade Facilitation Electronic Platform.

Moreover, construction on the Hezhou-Gaolan Port Expressway and Huangmao Sea Channel Bridge that connects the airport and port is underway, as is preliminary work on the Jin'gang Bridge.