China Eximbank provides RMB 388.7 million government concessional loan for Eighth Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge Stung Treng-Krouch Chhmar (Phase 1 of National Road No. 71 C) Project

On May 16, 2017, at the 2017 “Belt and Road” International Cooperation Summit Forum and under the joint witness of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Hun Sen of the Royal Government of Cambodia, China Eximbank and the Government of Cambodia's Ministry of Economy and Finance signed an RMB 388,762,000 government concessional loan (GCL) agreement for the Eighth Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge Stung Treng-Krouch Chhmar (Phase 1 of National Road No. 71 C) Project. The GCL carried the following terms: 20-year maturity, 7-year grace period, and 1.25% interest rate (See: Project/Program Information and Implementation Arrangements).The proceeds of the GCL were to be used by the borrower to finance an EPC (commercial) contract with Shanghai Construction Group (SCG). The purpose of the project is to construct a 1.13 km reinforced concrete bridge — that crosses the Mekong River — and an 8.3-km connecting road. The Stung Trang-Kroch Chhmar Bridge is 13.5 meters wide and 15 meters high and it located in Boeung Deng Village, Prek Kak Commune, Stung Trang District, and Kampong Cham Province. This project is considered to be the first phase of the National Highway No. 71C, which will run from Stung Treng district in Tbong Khmum Province to Chamka Leu district in Kampong Cham Province.SCG was the EPC contractor responsible for implementation. On May 16, 2016, an inspection of National Highway No. 71C was undertaken to gauge the feasibility of building and repairing the road. The project officially commenced on February 9, 2018, and construction was originally expected to be complete in early 2021.As of February 2020, the project was 84% complete. As of July 3, 2020, the project was 87% complete. As of December 7, 2020, the project was 96.4% complete.

Additional details

The project is also known as the Eighth Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge or Stung Trang-Krauch Chhmar Bridge Over Mekong River Project, Phase Ⅰ of the National Road 71C Project, the Stueng Trang - Krouch Chhmar Bridge Project, or the Stueng Trang-Grochma Bridge and Connecting Road Project. The Chinese project title is 柬斯登特朗-格罗奇马湄公河大桥项目 or 第八座柬中友谊大桥 or 71C号国家公路项目一期工程.The China Eximbank loan that supported this project is not included in the Overseas Development Finance Dataset that Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center published in December 2020.

Number of official sources

14

Number of unofficial sources

6