China’s “Pride Bridge” Collapses Just Months After Opening (Video)

A newly built bridge in China’s Sichuan province has collapsed less than a year after its grand opening — a humiliating failure that’s now fueling public outrage and questions about China’s massive infrastructure drive into the country’s fragile western mountains.

🚨🇨🇳 BREAKING: Hongqi Bridge in southwest China collapsed months after opening.

The 758-meter structure near Maerkang had earlier shown cracks before giving way. pic.twitter.com/QbAtwhPKFC

— Defence Index (@Defence_Index) November 11, 2025

The Hongqi Bridge, a 758-meter structure connecting Sichuan to Tibet, crumbled Tuesday morning after landslides ripped through the region near the city of Maerkang, officials confirmed. The disaster followed a series of alarming signs that had surfaced days earlier — including cracks in nearby slopes and visible road damage — which prompted authorities to shut the bridge to traffic on Monday.

By the next day, the situation had spiraled out of control. “The terrain on the mountain began to shift,” a Maerkang police officer told local media. “We had to act fast to close the road, but by then, it was already too late.”

According to a government statement, the collapse was triggered when massive landslides tore through the bridge’s approach and roadbed. Remarkably, no deaths or injuries have been reported, though video footage shared on Chinese social media showed the twisted remains of the roadway plunging into a muddy gorge below.

The bridge, built by Sichuan Road & Bridge Group, was hailed earlier this year as a symbol of “modern engineering excellence.” State media celebrated it as part of President Xi Jinping’s campaign to link China’s interior provinces to Tibet — an ambitious, multibillion-dollar initiative that has faced persistent warnings from engineers and geologists about unstable ground and rushed construction.

“This is a clear example of speed trumping safety,” said Dr. Liu Peng, a retired civil engineer from Chengdu who reviewed early design documents. “Local governments are under immense pressure to deliver big projects fast. Corners get cut, and the terrain in western China is notoriously unpredictable.”

The incident has sparked a wave of anger on Chinese social media platforms, where users mocked the bridge’s short lifespan. “It didn’t even last one season,” wrote one commenter on Weibo. Another added, “They built it for propaganda, not for the people.”

Officials have launched a formal investigation into the collapse, though critics say the probe may not go far. “It’s always the same story,” said one local resident reached by phone. “They’ll blame the rain, the earth, anything but the people in charge.”

The Hongqi Bridge disaster is only the latest setback for China’s infrastructure push into the country’s mountainous southwest — a region known for its volatile geology. In recent years, similar projects in Yunnan and Guizhou have faced landslides, structural cracks, and even partial collapses.

For now, rescue teams remain on site assessing damage and monitoring for further landslides. The road that once led to the gleaming Hongqi Bridge now ends abruptly in a heap of shattered concrete — a stark reminder, critics say, of how quickly China’s “miracle” projects can crumble.