China on Tuesday signed agreements with Cambodia in Phnom Penh to provide US$195.7 million of preferential loans to help improve the kingdom's national roads and construct bridges upon its major rivers.

 

Representatives from both sides signed the two agreements in presence of Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior government officials as well as Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Zhang Jinfeng.

 

Under the first agreement, the Chinese government extends US$51.9 million of concession loan for the Cambodian Ministry of Public Works and Transportation to rehabilitate the 127-kilometer-long National Road No. 76 from Snoul District of Kratie Province to Sen Monorom District of Mondulkiri Province.

 

As contractor of the agreement, the China Road and Bridge Corporation will start the work, which features the DBST technology (Double Bituminous Surface Treatment), on Jan. 31, 2007 and finish it on May 30, 2010.

 

Under the second agreement, the Chinese government provides US$143.8 million of preferential buyer's credit loan for the Cambodian Ministry of Public Works and Transportation to design and construct the 109-kilometer-long National Road No. 8 from Kandal Province to the Cambodian-Vietnamese border, the 1,060-meter-long Prek Tamak Bridge located on the upstream of the Mekong River, and the 975-meter-long Prek Kdam Bridge located on the downstream of the Tonle Sap River.

 

As contractor of the agreement, the Shanghai Construction (Group) General Company will finish the road project in 40 months and the bridge projects in 50 months.

 

Zhang Jinfeng said that these projects bear witness to the ever strong friendship between the two nations.

 

Meanwhile, Cambodian Minister of Economics and Finance Keat Chhun expressed appreciation for China's help.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2006)