2011-02-15 17:25

BANTEAY MEANCHEY, Cambodia -- Cambodia on Tuesday began the construction on a China-funded national road 59 along Cambodia-Thailand border, saying the road will be boosting economic growth and protecting territorial integrity.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a 144 km road was held on Tuesday under the presidency of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Pan Guangxue.

It was also attended by 8,000 participants, who are top government officials, diplomatic corps, locals and students as well as some Thai residents near the border.

The road will become an important and strong strategic road as it is the first national road far stretching along the Cambodia- Thai border, said the premier, adding that the road links the national road No.5 at Kaun Damrei village of Banteay Meanchey  province through Battambang province toward the national road No. 57 in Pailin province.

"The road is not only concrete factor helping promote national economic growth and families'economy but this road also effectively helps with the protection of integrity and sovereignty of Cambodia," he said.

The road is located in the Northwest of Cambodia about 400 kilometers from capital Phnom Penh.

Chinese ambassador Pan said that "the road will play an important role for improving the people's life and the social and economic development."

Pan, at the same time, stressed that "Chinese government is not only willing to give all-out support to Cambodia's efforts to alleviate poverty and to develop country's economy, but also willing to see a Cambodia that is peace, stability and development, "  adding that "Chinese government will do its best to offer assistance to Cambodia."

According to the master plan, the road No. 59 will be taken 36 months to complete under the soft loan of 72 million U.S. dollars from the government of China.

The contractors are China's Shanghai Construction (Group) General Company and Guangzhou Wanan Construction Supervision.

"Our Chinese friend has helped us a lot to build roads near the borders of Thailand, Laos and Vietnam," Hun Sen said, adding that so far around 1,500 kilometers of roads and bridges under the grants and loans from China has been built and put in use in Cambodia.

"Cambodia profoundly thanks China for constant supports in constructing of irrigation system, hydro-power, roads, bridges and bringing a lot of human resources in those sectors to be trained in China every year," said Hun Sen.