The Hangzhou Bay Bridge links Cixi City in Zhejiang province with Jiaxing City to the north, shortening the journey between Shanghai and the port of Ningbo by 120km.

Costing about US$1.5 billion (S$2.3 billion), it dwarfs similar projects such as the 25km causeway connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia.

Able to withstand typhoons as well as shifting soil conditions, it took three years to build and was one of China's most challenging construction projects.

It has three lanes in each direction and a rest and refuelling area at its middle.

Firecrackers and traditional dancers greeted over 1,000 guests at a ceremony in the middle of the bridge as engineers finished work on the final construction block on Tuesday.

It will open next June after support facilities such as toll gates and feeder roads are built.

REUTERS