Laos-China Railway Company reconstructs four bridges in the Sanamxay District of Attapeu Province (Linked to Record ID#64527, #66047, #66050, #65394, #65920, #88680, #88692, #88706, and #88707)

Project narrative

On July 23, 2018, saddle dam of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydroelectric plant burst, causing a flood for the 13 villages of the Sanamxay district in the Attapeu Province along the Xe Pian River. Six villages were almost submerged and 13,000 villagers were impacted, with 42 people dead and 23 missing. In response to this disaster, on August 2, 2018, the Laos-China Railway Company (LCRC) sent a group of technical expects from its construction units China Railway No. 2 Group Co., Ltd. and Sinohydro Bureau 10 Co., Ltd. to conduct surveys and research on the reconstruction of the bridges in the Attapeu Province. These experts created a design and construction plan for the reconstruction of four bridges with China Railway No. 2 Group Co., Ltd. and Sinohydro Bureau 10 Co., Ltd. serving as contractors. The previous, wooden bridges were aging and only capable of accommodating three-ton vehicles. The four reconstructed bridges were built along Road No 18A in the Sanamxay District with steel capable of accomodating vehicles weighing up to 45 tons, allowing for transporting relief materials and supplies to the disaster zone, as well as allowing motorists to travel comfortably. Construction on the bridges began on August 18, 2018. The bridges were completed and handed over to the Government of Laos on September 26, 2018. The Chinese Government and Chinese state-owned enterprises provided aid in response to this disaster. The Chinese Government donated relief supplies (see linked Record ID#64527), LCRC donated cash and supplies worth ₭800 million LAK (see linked Record ID#88706), China Southern Power Grid donates ₭1.2 billion LAK to aid home reconstruction for flood victims (see linked Record ID#66047), PowerChina donated cash and materials worth ₭1.625 billion LAK (see linked Record ID#66050), PowerChina sent experts to provide technical assistance to the Government of Laos (see linked Record ID#88707), the People's Liberation Army (PLA) sent a medical team (see linked Record ID#65394), China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) donated relief supplies (see linked Record ID#88680), Lao Asia Pacific Satellite Co., Ltd. (LAOSAT) donated a batch of satellite televisions to flood victims (see linked Record ID#88692), and LAOSAT sent a team to provide live satellite television and emergency communication services in the flood zone (see linked Record ID#65920). Laos-China Railway Company (LCRC) (Chinese: 老中铁路有限公) is a joint venture between three Chinese state-owned enterprises that collectively hold a 70% ownership stake and one Lao state-owned enterprise that owns a 30% ownership stake. LCRC is responsible for the construction of China-Laos Railway Project, a $5.9 billion USD project that constructed a 418-mile railway segment between Kunming, China, and Vientiane, Laos. China Railway International Co., Ltd. (Chinese:中国铁路国际有限公司), a subsidiary of China National Railway Group Co., Ltd. (Chinese: 中国国家铁路集团), led the Chinese enterprises and Laos National Railway Company to establish LCRC. The Laotian state-owned company is Laos Railway Company (Chinese: 中老挝铁路公司) with 30%. The three Chinese state-owned companies/entities are China Mowan Railway Company (Chinese: 中国磨万铁路公司) with 40% [Mowan Railway was established by four major Chinese state-owned enterprises: China Railway International Co., Ltd., China Railway Engineering Corporation (CRECG), Sinohydro, and CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co., Ltd. (part of CRRC Corporation Limited (CRRC))], Beijing Yukun Investment (Chinese: 北京玉昆投资) holds 20%, and Yunnan Provincial Government (Chinese: 云南省政府) holds 10%.