Yunyu XiaoandPaul Yip

Opinion | Guizhou offers Hong Kong lessons in building bridges and tackling poverty

As Guizhou’s bridges boost trade, tourism and relationships, the province has also worked on inclusiveness, bringing 9 million out of poverty over the decade

Super-connector Hong Kong should also build its bridges with the mainland and the world, between the government and people, making sure to leave no one behind

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The Yangbaoshan grand bridge of the Guiyang-Huangping Highway at sunset, under construction on March 17, 2021 in Guizhou province. Guizhou has become known as a “bridge museum” of the world, with more than 28,000 highway bridges and almost half of the world’s tallest 100 bridges. Photo: Xinhua

Yunyu XiaoandPaul Yip

Published: 8:15am, 9 Aug 2023

In Hong Kong, the number of poor people and the size of the poverty gap seem to have worsened in recent years. As the city grapples with the challenge of poverty, perhaps we can learn from Guizhou, a previously impoverished province that has transformed itself into a region of hope and confidence.

It boils down to making use of the area’s unique characteristics, building up inclusive economies and making the government more efficient and effective in responding to residents’ daily needs.

During our recent visit to Guizhou to promote mental health education, we were astounded by the transformation of a region once known for having “no flat land within three feet” into a crucial transport and geographic hub in southwestern China.

The pivotal component? Bridges. China’s long history of bridge construction is a testament to how such structures can improve urbanisation, economic development, productivity and even societal relationships.

Guizhou, nestled in the mountainous southwest, stands as a symbol of the transformative power of bridges. The once seemingly impossible terrain has been mastered, with bridges acting as veins of connectivity throughout the region.

Between 1979 and 2020, Guizhou’s highway network grew rapidly, fostering many new bridges. Of particular note is the impressive Balinghe Bridge, constructed in 2009. This suspension bridge not only marked breakthroughs in dimension and complexity, but also boosted Guizhou’s transport, trading and even sports activities – the bridge offers bungee jumping, parachuting, parasailing and other extreme activities.