Chinese Government provides $40 million grant for Phase 2 of Rural Road Improvement Project (Linked to Project ID#61780)

On January 24, 2019, after a bilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Prime Minister Hun Sen attended a signing ceremony for an exchange of letters between the Chinese Government and the Cambodian Government for Phase 2 of Rural Road Improvement Project. China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) reportedly committed $40 million of grant funding in support of the project. The purpose of the project is to repair, build, and improve 18 rural roads — with two layers of asphalt (DBST) — in 6 provinces including Kampong Speu, Kampong Cham, Kandal, Tbong Khmum, Prey Veng, and Svay Rieng. These roads measure 1195 km in length. On October 22, 2019, MOFCOM selected Yunnan Construction and Investment Holding Group Co Ltd (YCIH) as the contractor responsible for project implementation. Hunan Provincial Communications, Planning Survey & Design Institute Co., Ltd. was selected as the contractor responsible for project design. HE Sous Kong, Permanent Secretary of State, HE Dr. Ouk Rabun, Minister of Rural Development, signed a project implementation agreement on August 8, 2019. Then, on December 1, 2019, construction began. As of January 2021, construction progress was ongoing and the project was expected to reach completion by May 2022. The project passed a mid-term inspection on December 14, 2021. The Cambodian Ministry of Rural Development then issued a letter to China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on December 28, 2021, which says that 'the construction progress and project quality have been satisfied and appreciated by our Ministry. I understand the Chinese project management company and Chinese EPC contractors, who dispatched competent teams, […] worked hard for the project and achieved good results. Since the beginning of construction, they have overcome the challenges of widely scattered project sites, the vast workload, and the adverse effect of Covid-19.’

Additional details

1. This project is also known as the China-Aided Cambodia Rural Road Project-Phase II, the China-Aid Cambodia Rural Road Project-Phase II, and the Second Phase of the Rural Road Renovation Project. The Chinese project title is 中国援柬乡村道路项目二期. The Khmer project title is គម្រោងកែលម្អផ្លូវជនបទជំហ. 2. Chinese Government financing for Phase 1 is captured via Project ID#61780. 3. The December 28, 2021 letter can be accessed in its entirety via https://www.dropbox.com/s/md97x2d660xc319/20220127043954390.png?dl=0.

Number of official sources

5

Number of total sources

19