Raffles City Chongqing opens for business

Inspired by traditional Chinese sailing vessels and dubbed an engineering marvel, Raffles City Chongqing in Southwest China officially opened for business with a dazzling light show on Tuesday evening.

The complex is designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie, and boasts a 250-meter-long skybridge, called The Crystal, said to be one of the world's highest.

The Crystal, which will be enclosed by glass, will provide visitors a spectacular view of the city and serve as a landmark in the sprawling metropolis.

Developed by the CapitaLand Group and Ascendas-Singbridge with an investment of $3.8 billion, Raffles City Chongqing is at Chaotianmen Square, where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers converge. It is designed to look like a great ship sailing down the waterway.

It's the largest investment in China by any Singapore company. The complex covers 1.12 million square meters and has eight towers that include residences, a shopping mall, office space and a five-star hotel.