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

Project narrative

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.’ Then, on November 17, 2022, a completion ceremony was held, with Cambodian Minister of Rural Development Ouk Rabun and Wu Guoquan, economic and commercial counselor of the Chinese Embassy in attendance.