Work on 6th Chinese-funded bridge in north Cambodia nears completion

Work on the 6th Cambodia-China Friendship Mekong-Stung Treng Bridge in northern Cambodia is nearing completion after a 25-month construction, officials said Sunday.

Tram Iv Tek, Cambodian Minister of Public Works and Transport, said the 1,731-meter bridge, being built by the Shanghai Construction (Group) General Company, would be completed at the end of August this year.

The remaining work for the bridge was paving tar and installing bridge rails, he said.

Along with the bridge is the construction of a national road No. 9 in the length of 144 kilometers, stretching from Stung Treng province to Preah Vihear province.

The whole project will be completed by the end of next year with a total cost of 116 million U.S. dollars, financed by the Chinese government.

Speaking during a visit to the bridge, Cambodian Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon said the bridge and road were in the northern corridor project, which connected Cambodia to its neighboring Vietnam and Laos.

"The bridge and road are vital to contribute to boosting economic development, promoting tourism and improving livelihoods of Cambodian people in northern provinces," he said.

Keat Chhon said China was the largest donor for the development of roads and bridges in Cambodia and expressed his profound thanks to the Chinese government and people for their long-term support for infrastructure development in Cambodia.

Song Xiaoguo, Economic Councilor at the Chinese Embassy to Cambodia, said so far China had funded for the construction of more than 2,000 kilometers of national roads and seven bridges across rivers in Cambodia.

"This bridge is a new achievement of good ties and cooperation between our two countries," he said. "China has confidence that the bridge will serve the development of Cambodian economy and bring convenience to people in traveling and transporting farm products to markets."