{"text":[[{"start":9.95,"text":"Donald Trump has cleared the way for the opening of a $4.5bn bridge between Canada and Michigan 13 years after the project’s inception, claiming he had secured a better deal from the other side."}],[{"start":22.65,"text":"The Gordie Howe International Bridge is now expected to open on July 27 after the US president dropped his objections to the project."}],[{"start":31.849999999999998,"text":"“May we both have many years of success with this wonderful new development!!!” Trump posted on his Truth Social site on Saturday."}],[{"start":39.949999999999996,"text":"The bridge has long been a source of tension in US-Canada relations, which have taken a turn for the worse in Trump’s second term."}],[{"start":47.55,"text":"In February, Trump said he would not open the bridge “until the United States is fully compensated” by Canada in a rambling post perceived as a response to Ottawa’s renewed trade ties with China."}],[{"start":59.849999999999994,"text":"It later emerged the billionaire owners of the rival Ambassador Bridge, which already connects Canada and the US via Detroit, donated $1mn to a Super Pac supporting Trump."}],[{"start":71.5,"text":"Filings released in February showed Matthew Moroun, whose company operates the 100-year-old bridge that connects Michigan and Ontario, on January 16 gave $1mn to Maga Inc."}],[{"start":83.85,"text":"The Detroit-based Moroun family are longtime Republican donors who have battled for years to shut down the Gordie Howe Bridge, as they fear a loss of toll income from an alternative route for Canada-US travel. "}],[{"start":95.44999999999999,"text":"The White House and the Super Pac denied any link between the donation and Trump’s objection to the project."}],[{"start":101.69999999999999,"text":"On Friday evening, Canada’s government said both sides had agreed to “co-operative measures focused on toll governance,” as well as the establishment of a 15-year economic development fund tied to a portion of profits from bridge operations."}],[{"start":115.39999999999999,"text":"Canada’s infrastructure minister Gregor Robertson said opening the bridge would generate billions of dollars in economic activity for decades."}],[{"start":124.24999999999999,"text":"“(This) will create new opportunities, strengthen our economy, and bring economic benefits on both sides of the border for generations to come,” he said"}],[{"start":134.89999999999998,"text":"The Detroit–Windsor corridor handles more than 4mn truck crossings annually and nearly $70bn in two-way trade, according to the Detroit Regional Chamber."}],[{"start":144.2,"text":"The Gordie Howe bridge spans the Detroit River between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan and is a six-lane, cable-stayed bridge with a main span of 853 metres, the longest of its kind in North America, and extends approximately 2.5km."}],[{"start":162.6,"text":"The planned ribbon-cutting ceremony in June was delayed as the Trump administration looked to renegotiate a longstanding agreement between Canada and the US. "}],[{"start":181.6,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1783821151_4657.mp3"}