A series of glass bridges in China have been shut down.

Thirty-two glass bridges, walkways, and observation decks at 24 scenic spots in northern Hebei province have ceased operations since last March. The world's longest glass suspension bridge, Hongya Valley (488 meters), is also on the list, despite opening only two years prior. This move not only affects the province's tourist areas but also impacts similar attractions elsewhere in China.

Glass bridges have become very popular in China in recent years, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. They are seen as a boost to tourism in many localities due to their novelty and ability to stimulate adventurous visitors. The number of newly built glass attractions has also increased sharply in the past two years. China currently has about 2,300 glass bridges, along with glass walkways and slides. However, in many areas, the structures have quality issues leading to fatal accidents for tourists. The closure of glass bridges follows a series of accidents.

In 2015, a glass-bottomed walkway built into a mountainside in Henan Province, China, cracked after tourists walked across it. The 0.91-meter-high walkway was subsequently closed for repairs. The following year, a tourist was injured by falling rocks while walking on the world's highest glass-bottomed bridge in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province. The famous bridge had to close for maintenance less than two weeks after its opening due to overcrowding. In 2017, a person died in an accident on a glass slide at the Mulan Shengtian scenic area in Hubei Province. This year, another accident occurred at a scenic area in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, resulting in one death and six injuries.

Following the proliferation of glass bridges constructed without ensuring safety standards, the Chinese government has called on authorities to conduct comprehensive inspections of all glass structures nationwide.

Huong Thao