The Lotus Bridge, the second land passage linking Macao to China's inland areas, opened to traffic on December 10, adding to the jubilant atmosphere for Macao's approaching return to China.

Macao Governor Vasco Rocha Vieira, Chief Executive-designate of the Macao Special Administrative Region Edmund Ho Hau Wah, and Director of the Macao Branch of the Xinhua News Agency Wang Qiren cut the ribbon at the inauguration ceremony.

The bridge runs more than 1,780 meters and connects land reclaimed from sea between the Coloane and Taipa Islands with the Hengqin Island of the neighboring Zhuhai city of Guangdong Province.

Construction of the bridge began in 1998 with investment of some 200 million yuan from Zhuhai and Macao.

The six-lane bridge and the newly-built border inspection building there can receive 53,000 passengers and handle 21,000 vehicles a day, to greatly ease off the pressure of the Gongbei Border Gate, Macao's first land passage to the inland areas.

The bridge will help promote economic and cultural exchanges between Macao and the inland areas, a local expert said.

The Coloane-Taipa Border Inspection Building was also put into use on the same day.