Leaders hail opening of Bay Area bridge

Project's completion means greatly reduced travel time between neighbors

Top officials from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Guangdong province said Tuesday's opening of the mega bridge linking the three places marked a new era of connectivity and coordinated development.

Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR; Fernando Chui Sai-on, chief executive of the Macao SAR; and Li Xi, Party secretary of Guangdong province, were among more than 800 people who attended the opening ceremony for the bridge, held in Zhuhai, Guangdong.