Hongqi Bridge collapse in eastern Tibet triggered by nearby hydroelectric power dam? – Tibetan Review

Report on the Collapse of the Hongqi Bridge and its Implications for Sustainable Development

1.0 Incident Overview

A significant section of the newly constructed Hongqi Bridge in Maerkang City, Aba Prefecture, Sichuan province, collapsed on November 11, 2025. The bridge, a critical component of National Highway G317, fell into the river below following severe geological disturbances. This event raises critical questions regarding infrastructure resilience, environmental management, and the holistic achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2.0 Background and Contributing Factors

2.1 Infrastructure Details

• Location: Maerkang City (Barkham), Aba (Ngawa) Prefecture, Sichuan, China.
• Purpose: A key artery on National Highway G317, designed to enhance connectivity between China’s heartland and the Tibetan Plateau, aligning with goals for economic integration and development.
• Specifications: The 758-meter-long, 232-meter-high structure was engineered to withstand high seismic activity (up to magnitude 8.0) and was completed in early 2025.

2.2 Chronology of Events

1. November 9: A completion ceremony was held for the nearby Shuangjiangkou Hydroelectric Dam.
2. November 10: Police closed the Hongqi Bridge to traffic after observing cracks on nearby slopes and shifts in the terrain.
3. November 11: Worsening conditions on the mountainside triggered landslides, leading to the collapse of the bridge’s approach and roadbed.

2.3 Proximate Cause

Preliminary investigations attribute the collapse to geological instability. The event occurred just two days after the inauguration of the Shuangjiangkou Dam, the world’s tallest hydroelectric power facility. The filling of the dam’s reservoir, which began on May 1, is the likely trigger for the terrain shifts and subsequent landslides that destroyed the bridge.

3.0 Analysis in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The collapse of the Hongqi Bridge provides a case study on the challenges of implementing large-scale infrastructure projects and highlights the interconnectedness of the SDGs.

3.1 SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The bridge was intended to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation. However, its failure underscores a critical gap in achieving this goal.

• Resilience Failure: Despite being engineered for a seismically active zone, the structure failed due to geological instability potentially induced by an adjacent development project. This demonstrates a failure to account for systemic environmental risks, a key component of resilient infrastructure.
• Economic Impact: The loss of this critical transportation link disrupts economic activity and connectivity, undermining the goal of fostering economic development in the region.

3.2 SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) & SDG 13 (Climate Action)

The Shuangjiangkou Dam was constructed to advance SDG 7 by providing a significant source of clean, renewable energy. However, its environmental impact illustrates a potential conflict with other sustainability objectives.

• Negative Externalities: The dam’s construction and operation appear to have directly caused environmental destabilization, leading to the infrastructure collapse. This highlights the risk of pursuing clean energy goals without a comprehensive assessment of their impact on the local ecosystem and community safety.
• Climate Resilience: The article notes that Sichuan’s landscape is vulnerable to landslides exacerbated by climate change. The incident shows that infrastructure must be designed not only for known geological risks but also for the cascading effects of climate change and other large-scale human interventions.

3.3 SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) & SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

The project aimed to make settlements inclusive, safe, and resilient by improving access. The collapse, however, reveals vulnerabilities in safety and governance.

• Community Safety: While the timely closure of the bridge prevented casualties, the incident exposed the community to significant risk and disrupted their access and safety, contrary to the aims of SDG 11.
• Institutional Accountability: The public debate on social media regarding “tofu-dreg” projects points to a lack of public trust in the quality and oversight of major construction projects. This implicates SDG 16, which calls for effective, accountable, and transparent institutions. A thorough and transparent investigation into design, materials, and the approval process is essential for institutional accountability.

4.0 Conclusion

The collapse of the Hongqi Bridge is a stark reminder that the pursuit of individual development goals, such as clean energy (SDG 7) and economic infrastructure (SDG 9), cannot be done in isolation. A sustainable development approach requires an integrated framework where environmental impact assessments, community safety (SDG 11), and institutional accountability (SDG 16) are central to the planning and execution of all major projects. The failure to adopt such a holistic approach can result in catastrophic failures that undermine, rather than advance, overall sustainable development.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • The article discusses the construction of the Shuangjiangkou Dam, the world’s tallest hydroelectric power dam, designed to generate 2,000 megawatts of electricity. This directly relates to the goal of increasing the share of renewable energy.
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The Hongqi Bridge was built to “bolster connectivity,” “foster development in ethnic minority areas,” and facilitate “economic integration, tourism, and resource transport.” These objectives are central to promoting sustained and inclusive economic growth.
3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
   • This is the most prominent SDG. The article is centered on the construction and collapse of a major piece of infrastructure (the Hongqi Bridge), which was part of a broader effort to upgrade the G317 corridor. The bridge was described as an “engineering marvel,” highlighting innovation, but its collapse raises questions about the quality, resilience, and sustainability of the infrastructure.
4. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The bridge was a “critical artery” for Maerkang City and the wider region, aiming to make the area more accessible and connected. Its collapse impacts the community’s safety and connectivity. The article also notes the region’s seismic activity and landslide risk, linking to the goal of making human settlements resilient to disasters.
5. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The article mentions that Sichuan’s alpine landscape is “exacerbated by climate change-driven monsoons,” which contributes to the risk of landslides. This connects the infrastructure failure to the broader challenge of adapting to climate-related hazards.
6. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • The collapse was triggered by a landslide and “shifts… in the terrain of a mountain.” The construction of massive infrastructure like dams and bridges in a fragile alpine ecosystem has significant impacts on land and geological stability, which is a key concern of this goal.
7. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
   • The public debate on social media about “tofu-dreg” projects (subpar construction) and the official investigations into “design flaws and material quality” point to issues of institutional accountability, transparency, and the effectiveness of governance in overseeing major public works.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
   • The Shuangjiangkou Dam is a massive hydroelectric project designed to generate 2,000 megawatts of renewable electricity annually, directly contributing to this target.
2. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.
   • The Hongqi Bridge was intended to be a piece of resilient infrastructure, “engineered to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 8.0.” Its collapse, however, demonstrates a failure to achieve the “quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient” aspects of this target, particularly in the face of geological instability potentially caused by the nearby dam.
3. Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.
   • The article highlights that the region is one of Sichuan’s “most seismically active zones” and is prone to landslides. The collapse of the bridge is a disaster event. The fact that police closed the bridge beforehand, resulting in “no reports of casualties,” is a direct measure related to mitigating the human cost of such disasters.
4. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • The article links the area’s notorious landslides to “climate change-driven monsoons,” indicating that infrastructure projects in the region must be resilient to climate-related hazards. The bridge’s failure underscores the challenge of meeting this target.
5. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
   • The public outcry over “tofu-dreg” projects and the launch of official investigations into the cause of the collapse reflect a societal demand for accountability and transparency from the institutions responsible for public infrastructure.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 7.2: The article provides a specific metric for the dam’s output: “2,000 megawatts of electricity annually.” This is a direct quantitative measure of renewable energy capacity, which is used to calculate Indicator 7.2.1 (Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption).
2. Indicator for Target 9.1: The bridge’s design specification—”engineered to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 8.0″—serves as an implied indicator of its planned resilience. Its subsequent collapse serves as a stark negative indicator of its actual resilience and quality. The length (758 meters) and height (232 meters) are also indicators of the scale of the infrastructure investment.
3. Indicator for Target 11.5: The article explicitly states, “There were no reports of casualties.” This directly corresponds to Indicator 11.5.1 (Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population). The collapse of a brand-new, major bridge represents a significant direct economic loss, which relates to Indicator 11.5.2.
4. Indicator for Target 16.6: While not a formal UN indicator, the social media eruption and debates on platforms like X and Douyin about “tofu-dreg” projects can be seen as an informal, qualitative indicator of public perception of institutional effectiveness and corruption, which is related to the spirit of Indicator 16.6.2 (Proportion of population satisfied with their last experience of public services).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: tibetanreview.net