The $28 billion bridge connects Hong Kong and Macau to the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai, and is the longest sea-crossing bridge ever built.
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge is made up of nearly 35-km (22-mile) of bridge and road sections, and a 6.7 km (4-mile) tunnel between artificial islands to allow shipping to pass unhindered.
President Xi Jinping presided over the inauguration early on Tuesday but said little except to declare the bridge officially open to a burst of fireworks projected onto a screen behind him.
Vice premier Han Zheng said the bridge would help drive China’s strategic blueprint for a “Greater Bay Area” around the Pearl River Delta modeled on other global economic dynamos like San Francisco Bay and Tokyo Bay.
“Standing at this new historical starting point, we firmly believe that the opening of the bridge will further develop the special advantage of Hong Kong and Macau,” Han said in a speech at the ceremony.
Criticism
But the bridge has been criticised in Hong Kong.
There are fears the city will be swamped by tourists from mainland China, and also little appetite for greater links to both Macau and Zhuhai.
Critics of the Chinese government see the bridge as a tool to drag Hong Kong closer into Beijing's grip.
"It links Hong Kong to China almost like an umbilical cord. You see it, and you know you're linked up to the motherland," Chinese lawmaker Claudia Mo told CNN earlier this year.
"Hong Kong has had to fund a lot of the bridge, but we won't see many benefits here," she added.
Hong Kong spent upwards $12 million on the project, despite struggling with a lack of public housing, and widespread poverty.
