Chinese Government provides $3.6 million grant for Phase 1 of National Road Improvement Project (Linked to Record ID#64185, #39199)

Project narrative

In 2008, the Chinese Government provided a $3.6 million (TOP 7 million) grant to the Government of Tonga for Phase 1 of the National Road Improvement Project. The total cost for the project was TOP 16 million. The grant proceeds were used to finance an RMB 21 million construction contract between Yanjian Group and Tonga’s Ministry of Transport, which was signed on June 9, 2008. The purpose of Phase 1 was to construct or reconstruct 9 sections of the Tongatapu Trunk Road measuring 17.137 kilometers in length on the island of Tongatapu. Yanjian Group was the general contractor responsible for implementation. However, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) has also been cited as an implementing agency. Construction began in July 4, 2008 and the project was officially completed and handed over to the local authorities on April 17, 2009. However, construction was not complete until December 2009. Then, an engineering quality inspection by Tonga’s Ministry of Works was undertaken on March 30, 2010.