Chinese Government provides $2,558,125 interest-free loan for 1st Cambodia-China Friendship (Sekong) Bridge Construction Project (linked to #61165, #61166, #32077)

In 2004, the Chinese Government and the Government of Cambodia signed a $2,558,125 interest-free loan agreement for the 1st Cambodia-China Friendship (Sekong) Bridge Construction Project. The purpose of this project was to construct a 1056.84m bridge over the Sekong River — known as the 1st Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge and the Sekong Bridge —near the town of Stung Treng. The bridge links Stung Treng Province to National Road No.7 (AH11) that goes all the way from Skuon to Luang Prabang in Laos. The total project cost was $15 million USD. Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) was the contractor responsible for implementation. On November 18, 2004, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the construction of National Road No.7 and the Sekong Bridge. Then, in 2006, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen visited the construction site and suggested that the bridge be named the ‘Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge’. On April 29, 2008, an inauguration ceremony was held for National Road No.7 and the Sekong Bridge. This project is closely related to the Kratie-Trapeang Kriel Section of National Road No.7 (NR 7) Rehabilitation Project, for which the Chinese Government and the Government of Cambodia signed letters of exchange regarding a $60,980,000 loan on November 2, 2002 (captured in linked Project ID#61165). The loan proceeds were drawn in part from an economic and technical cooperation agreement (ETCA) that the parties signed on November 27, 2003, which is captured in linked ProjectID#32077. Also on November 2, 2002, the Chinese Government and the Government of Cambodia signed a $2,430,000 grant agreement for the Kratie-Trapeang Kriel Section of National Road No.7 (NR 7) Rehabilitation Project (captured in Project ID#61166).

Additional details

1. The Chinese project title is 中柬友好第一桥 or 湄公河西公大桥 or 湄公河大桥. The Khmer project title is ស្ពានសេកុង ខេត្តស្ទឹងត្រែង. 2. Since loan terms for the interest-free loan are unavailable, AidData has set maturity period to 20 years by default and grace period to 10 years by default per China's Foreign Assistance White Paper (http://www.cidca.gov.cn/2018-08/06/c_129925064_3.htm) which states that the maturity period of interest-free loans is 20 years, with a drawdown period of 5 years, grace period of 5 years, and repayment over 10 years. AidData treats the drawdown period as providing 5 years of additional grace.

Number of official sources

7

Number of total sources

12