NANNING — China and Vietnam officially opened a new cross-border bridge on March 19 linking the city of Dongxing in China and the city of Mong Cai in Vietnam.

The 27.7-meter-wide Beilun II bridge has four main lanes and two auxiliary ones. Its opening means that the busy port of Dongxing will have two bridges, and improved capacity to serve booming border trade between China and Vietnam.

Construction of the bridge started in 2014 and was completed in September 2017, involving investment of about 220 million yuan ($32.7 million) from China and Vietnam.

It will shorten waiting time for customs clearance, thus boosting border logistics and trade and promoting joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, said Huang Xiong, deputy director of Dongxing Customs.