In 2024, China's suspension bridge equipment industry further consolidated its global leadership with total output value of 48.76 billion yuan, up 11.3% year on year. The number of mega suspension bridges with main spans exceeding 1,000 meters reached 19, ranking first in the world. The industry's localization rate continued to rise, and the pace of high-end, intelligent and green transformation accelerated markedly.
China holds an absolutely dominant position in the global ranking of long-span suspension bridges. Of the world's top 11 suspension bridges by main span, China accounts for nine. Among them, the south navigation channel bridge of the Zhangjinggao Yangtze River Bridge and the main span of the second Suzhou-Nantong Yangtze River Crossing both reach 2,300 meters, tying for first in the world. The Shiziyang Bridge, with a main span of 2,180 meters and a double-deck 16-lane design, sets a record for lane capacity.
According to transport statistics, in 2024 the number of large bridges nationwide reached 191,400 and the number of extra-large bridges 11,300, up 7.71% and 10.65% respectively from the previous year, reflecting the trend of densifying road networks alongside rising engineering difficulty.Industry research reports predict that in 2025 the market size of China's bridge engineering industry will reach 1.5 trillion yuan, accounting for 35% of the global total, and that construction of large and extra-large bridges is expected to maintain growth of more than 10% over the next five years.
In terms of market structure, the manufacturing of structural components (mainly steel structures) contributed 21.58 billion yuan, or 44.3%; the cable system (including main cables, suspenders, cable saddles, cable clamps and anchorage devices) generated 15.62 billion yuan, or 32.0%, making it the segment with the highest technical barriers and greatest added value; bridge towers and foundation engineering-related equipment and supporting monitoring and maintenance systems accounted for 18.3% and 5.4% respectively.
As requirements for intelligence and durability increase, the cable system is expected to maintain the fastest growth, with output value projected to exceed 17.7 billion yuan in 2025 and average annual growth of more than 10% over the next five years.
Driven by policies such as the special action for independent and controllable major bridge equipment, the domestic market share of high-strength steel wire rose from 49.3% in 2020 to 76.4% in 2024, and the localization rate of core industry equipment is expected to reach 81.2% in 2025. Fiscal and financial support has also been strengthened: in 2024, a total of 516.6 billion yuan in local government special bonds and 98.3 billion yuan in long-term low-interest loans were directed to major infrastructure such as highways and railways, providing support for sustained industry investment.
In terms of technological innovation, the proportion of high-strength cables used has reached 91.6%, 2060 MPa-grade ultra-high-strength steel wire has been applied in engineering, and the breaking force of a single main cable has exceeded the 100,000-ton level. Intelligent construction is widely used, with BIM management coverage in large projects reaching 88% and the application rate of prefabricated assembly rising to 67%, significantly improving construction efficiency and safety.
With the deepening of the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese suspension bridge equipment enterprises have significantly accelerated their going-global pace.
In 2024, the total contract value of suspension bridge projects undertaken by Chinese enterprises in Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East reached US$12.86 billion, up 21.4% year on year. Overseas contract value is expected to rise to US$15.23 billion in 2025, and the export ratio of domestically produced equipment is expected to exceed 65%. Many enterprises are deepening their local presence by setting up overseas service centers and obtaining international certifications. High-end products such as domestically produced intelligent damping systems have entered the EU market, opening the way for the industry to move up the global value chain.
Judging by the industry's development patterns, suspension bridges are extending from river and sea crossings to complex terrain such as mountainous valleys, and evolving from single-deck to double-deck multi-lane structures. Over the next 5 to 10 years, the scale of domestic suspension bridge construction will remain considerable, advancing toward ultra-long-span projects of 3,000 meters and above.
As world-class projects such as the Zhangjinggao Yangtze River Bridge, the Shiziyang Bridge and the Xihoumen Mega Bridge on the Ningbo-Zhoushan double-track line enter critical construction stages, total industry output value is expected to reach 54.23 billion yuan in 2025, up 11.2% year on year. Driven by both policy and innovation, China's suspension bridge equipment industry will continue to consolidate its global leadership and provide strong support for building a country with strong transportation and for international engineering cooperation.
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