Everyone places their trust in the BBC, it would seem, even the Chinese. Thus with the Hunan government about to open the world’s highest and longest glass-bottomed bridge, it sought the BBC’s help to prove the structure’s safety. The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Skywalk is a tourist attraction that allows visitors to cross a scenic spot that was the inspiration for the Hallelujah Mountains in Avatar, via a 375-metre glass-bottomed bridge suspended 300 metres above the ground. Keen to allay any worries that the special glass may not be strong enough to support the expected crowds, the authorities invited BBC presenter Dan Simmons to smash one of its panels with a sledgehammer. After about 10 mighty blows, Simmons had still not succeeded in destroying the glass. “Do you know what? I think this might be safe,” he concluded. Having got the Beeb’s certification – the footage was aired on its Click programme – the glass bridge has got off to a good PR start. For the more adventurous, a bungee jump is also available.
© ChinTell Ltd. All rights reserved.
Sponsored by HSBC.
The Week in China website and the weekly magazine publications are owned
and maintained by ChinTell Limited, Hong Kong. Neither HSBC nor any member of the HSBC group of companies ("HSBC") endorses the contents and/or is
involved in selecting, creating or editing the contents of the Week in China website or the Week in China magazine. The views expressed in these
publications are solely the views of ChinTell Limited and do not necessarily reflect the views or investment ideas of HSBC. No responsibility will
therefore be assumed by HSBC for the contents of these publications or for the errors or omissions therein.
Download Apps