The value of imports and exports between China and ASEAN through the Zhuhai port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge grew rapidly in the first half of 2025. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, a mega cross-sea project in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, has played an increasingly crucial role as an economic and trade link between China and ASEAN nations.

The total value of imports and exports between China and ASEAN through the bridge's Zhuhai Port exceeded 23 billion yuan ($3.22 billion) in the first half of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 166.2 percent, according to Gongbei Customs statistics.

Goods imported and exported through the bridge mainly consist of electronic components, plastic products, and textiles and garments, demonstrating the trade characteristics of regional industrial chain cooperation and resource complementarity, the Customs said.

"The efficient 24-hour customs clearance at the bridge port has helped us further shorten the delivery cycle for maintenance parts," said Liang Jiang, transportation and customs manager of the procurement department of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai.

On July 24, a batch of imported aircraft engines for maintenance by the company waited only 20 minutes from arrival to clearance.

Leveraging the advantages of cross-border transportation provided by the bridge, the Zhuhai-based company's export of maintenance services to ASEAN countries has grown steadily in recent years, according to Liang.

"As an authorized economic operator, or AOE enterprise, we have received a lot of policy support from customs, and our market competitiveness among Southeast Asian airlines has significantly improved," said Liang.

In the first half of this year, the company's business volume with ASEAN countries increased by nearly 90 percent compared to the same period last year.