Recently, the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in Beijing. Over the past decade, with the joint efforts of all parties, the Belt and Road Initiative has grown from a Chinese proposal into international practice, from a concept into action, and from a vision into reality. It has not only brought tangible benefits to the countries involved, but also made positive contributions to promoting the sound development of economic globalization, tackling global development challenges, and improving the global governance system.

In terms of highways,

What contributions have we made?

Highway projects undertaken by Chinese enterprises

The latest developments are summarized below

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Maputo Cross-Sea Bridge in Mozambique

▲Image source: CCTV.com

The Maputo Bridge, undertaken by a Chinese enterprise, is located in Maputo, the capital of the African country Mozambique, and has been operating safely for nearly five years to date. The Maputo Bridge has not only become a local landmark, but is also a shining calling card of Belt and Road construction in Africa.

Maputo Bay is a natural barrier in the area and had long caused a serious imbalance in economic and social development between the north and south shores of the bay. Building a cross-sea bridge became a long-cherished wish of the Mozambican people for many years. In November 2018, this dream was finally realized when the Maputo Bridge, undertaken by a Chinese enterprise, was completed and put into use.

The Maputo Bridge is about 3 kilometers long and spans Maputo Bay; the trunk highway then extends southward to the border crossing with South Africa, with a total length of 187 kilometers. The completion of the Maputo Bridge connects the old urban area of Maputo with the planned new urban area of Katembe. In the future, the Katembe area will focus on developing industry, logistics, tourism, commercial and residential areas, among others. Through several years of operation, the Maputo Bridge has already allowed local people to feel tangible benefits.‍

Priority Section of the Montenegro North-South Highway

▲Image source: China Belt and Road Portal

The Montenegro North-South Highway project starts in the south at the coastal city of Bar and runs north to Boljare, a border city between Montenegro and Serbia, with a total length of about 180 kilometers. Among it, the priority section is about 41 kilometers long, undertaken by China Road and Bridge Corporation, and officially opened to traffic in July 2022. The priority section has 16 tunnels, 20 bridges and 3 interchanges, with a bridge-tunnel ratio of about 60%, making it the most technically and constructionally difficult section of the North-South Highway project. Once completed, the highway will be integrated into the international road transport network and connect multiple countries in Central Europe, which is of great significance to Montenegro.

In addition to providing safe roads for passing vehicles, the priority section of the North-South Highway has also brought direct and indirect economic benefits to Montenegro. In the 12 months of operation, about 2.2 million vehicles drove through the priority section of the North-South Highway, paying about 9 million euros in highway tolls.

At a recent reception marking the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative held by the Chinese Embassy in Montenegro, former Montenegrin President Vujanović spoke highly of the contribution of the priority section of the North-South Highway to improving road safety in Montenegro. He said: "In the year since it opened to traffic, there has not been a single fatal traffic accident on the highway. We have been given a highway that saves lives."

Nigeria Keffi-Makurdi Highway Reconstruction and Expansion Project

▲Image source: Xinhua News Agency client

Phase I of the Nigeria Keffi-Makurdi Highway Reconstruction and Expansion Project started in 2019 and was completed in 2023. The project, undertaken by China Harbour Engineering Company, consists of two parts: the 5.4-kilometer Abuja-Keffi section and the 221.8-kilometer Keffi-Makurdi reconstruction and expansion highway. It is named Keffi Road after the town of Keffi it passes through. The project has brought much convenience to local residents and the movement of goods, and has provided local employment opportunities and trained highway construction talent.‍

Chile Route 5

On February 15, 2023, China Railway Construction International Group completed the handover with the original concessionaire of the Chillán-Collipulli section of Chile Route 5 and officially launched project operations.

The Chile Route 5 project officially started on March 13, 2021. It is the Chilean portion of the Pan-American Highway and a major land transport artery in Chile. As an important transportation artery of Chile, it is locally known as the "Golden Corridor" and is the longest highway in Chile. From the Peruvian border in northern Chile to Quellón, the southernmost city reachable by road in Chile, it has a total length of about 3,363.97 kilometers and crosses 14 of Chile's 16 regions.

Route 5 is one of the busiest sections in Chile and is of great significance for advancing the strengthening of corridor capacity in Chile's national highway network, improving network efficiency, continuously promoting national highway construction, and accelerating the capacity expansion and renovation of busy sections.

Belgrade Ring Road in the Serbian Capital

On June 28, 2023, a ceremony was held to mark the opening of a section of the Belgrade Ring Road in Serbia's capital, undertaken by a Chinese-funded enterprise. The Belgrade Ring Road is divided into three sections, of which Section B, undertaken by a Chinese enterprise, is 20.34 kilometers long in total and includes three lots. The section opened this time is 9.74 kilometers long and is the last lot of the section undertaken by the Chinese enterprise, marking the completion and commissioning of the entire portion undertaken by the Chinese enterprise.

This highway was first built in the early 1990s but was suspended for some objective reasons. The completion of this project will shift some vehicles from the overloaded urban basic road network to the ring road, helping to shorten travel time, reduce traffic accidents, and reduce harmful gas and noise pollution in the city. ‍

Poland's First Ring Expressway

▲Image source: People's Daily

In July 2023, the S14 Lodz Ring Expressway project in Poland, in whose construction Power Construction Corporation of China (hereinafter referred to as "PowerChina") participated, was completed and opened to traffic ahead of schedule. Lodz became the first city in Poland to have a complete ring expressway.

Lodz is an important node city in China-Poland Belt and Road cooperation. The opening of the ring expressway further improves the efficiency of cargo distribution by China-Europe freight trains to the three Baltic states and to Western and Southern Europe. The meticulous design and construction by Chinese enterprises have been appreciated by all sectors of Polish society, paving a broader road for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between the two countries.

With a total length of 16.3 kilometers, 21 bridges, cross-operation at multiple infrastructure points, and a construction period of only 15 months... Behind the efficient work is the sincere cooperation between China and Poland. At the opening ceremony, Polish Minister of Infrastructure Andrzej Adamczyk commented: "The S14 expressway has greatly facilitated local residents' travel and further consolidated Lodz's position as Poland's transport and logistics hub. It is of great significance to the future economic development of Lodz and Poland."‍

Algeria East-West Highway

▲Image source: Shandong Provincial Department of Transport

On August 12, 2023, the opening ceremony for the 84-kilometer project of the East Section of the Algeria East-West Highway (hereinafter referred to as the "84-kilometer project"), undertaken by CITIC Construction Co., Ltd., was held in Tarf Province, Algeria. The section starts in the west at Dréan in Tarf Province and runs east to Raml Souk, a border town adjacent to Tunisia. Its completion and opening to traffic mark the full connection of the 1,216-kilometer Algeria East-West Highway, which links 17 provinces in northern Algeria.

At the opening ceremony, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelrahman said that the official opening of the "84-kilometer project" is a major achievement of strategic significance. It will greatly facilitate people's travel and promote economic exchanges between Algeria and Tunisia. In the course of building the East-West Highway, Algerian engineering and technical personnel gained valuable experience.

According to Qi Shujie, deputy general manager of CITIC Construction's Algeria national region, a Chinese enterprise consortium led by CITIC Group undertook the 528-kilometer section of the Algeria East-West Highway from 2006 to 2012. In view of the outstanding performance capability of the Chinese enterprises, the Algerian Highway Authority handed over the "84-kilometer project," which a Japanese company had abandoned, to CITIC Construction at the end of 2017. Chinese engineering and technical personnel overcame difficulties such as high subgrade fill and frequent landslides and collapses, and completed the project with high quality and on schedule.‍

Côte d'Ivoire Tiebissou-Bouaké Highway

▲Image source: Xinhua News Agency

The Côte d'Ivoire Tiebissou-Bouaké Highway (hereinafter referred to as the "Tie-Bou Highway"), undertaken by China Road and Bridge Corporation (hereinafter referred to as "CRBC"), was completed and opened to traffic in Bouaké on August 24, 2023. It is understood that the Tie-Bou Highway connects the central-southern city of Tiebissou with Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire's second-largest city, with a total project length of 95.6 kilometers.

In his speech at the ceremony, Ivorian Vice President Koné said that the Tie-Bou Highway is an important part of Côte d'Ivoire's modern highway network. Once completed, it will promote urban connectivity in Côte d'Ivoire and bring more convenience to local people.

Li Feng, general manager of CRBC's Côte d'Ivoire office, said in an interview that during construction the Tie-Bou Highway project created more than 2,000 local jobs. Its completion and opening to traffic will significantly improve travel efficiency among the three cities of Abidjan, Yamoussoukro and Bouaké, injecting new vitality into regional economic development.

Kuwait Seventh Ring Road Project

▲Image source: Xinhua News Agency

On August 24, 2023, the handover ceremony for the Kuwait Seventh Ring Road project, undertaken by Power Construction Corporation of China (hereinafter referred to as "PowerChina"), was held in Farwaniya Governorate. The Seventh Ring Road project started in December 2016, with a total length of 21.9 kilometers, ten lanes in both directions, and six three-level interchanges. The high-temperature-resistant and wear-resistant asphalt pavement adopted by the project suits the local hot environment and can reduce risks such as tire blowouts.

According to reports, the Seventh Ring Road is one of the trunk lines of the regional network in southern Kuwait. Raja Al-Mu'aman, Director-General of Kuwait's General Authority for Roads and Land Transport, said that the Seventh Ring Road project is an important achievement of Chinese enterprises in Kuwait and a landmark project of cooperation between the two countries. ‍

Bangladesh's First Elevated Expressway

▲Image source: Xinhua News Agency

On September 2, 2023, the opening ceremony for the Dhaka Airport Elevated Expressway project (Phase I) in Bangladesh was held. In her speech, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the opening of the Dhaka Airport Elevated Expressway (Phase I) is a new milestone in the history of Bangladesh's transport development and will play an important role in reducing traffic congestion.

The Dhaka Airport Elevated Expressway project was built by a joint venture formed by Sinohydro Bureau 8 Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Power Construction Corporation of China, and Shandong Luqiao Company. It is one of Bangladesh's highest-priority infrastructure projects. The main line of the project has a total length of 19.73 kilometers and a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour. The section opened this time has a main line length of 11.297 kilometers, and the entire route is designed as an elevated structure.

It is understood that the Dhaka Airport Elevated Expressway connects Dhaka International Airport with Chattogram, Bangladesh's largest port, which is conducive to rapid connections between Bangladesh's maritime and air transport. Once completed, the expressway will greatly ease traffic congestion in the capital Dhaka, cutting driving time from two hours to 20 minutes. During construction, the project created tens of thousands of local jobs, and among the equipment, materials and subcontracting procured, the local share exceeded 80%, contributing to local socioeconomic development.‍

Bolivia El Espino Highway Project

▲Image source: People's Daily Online

On September 21, 2023 local time, the completion and opening ceremony of the Bolivia El Espino Highway project, undertaken by China Railway Group Limited (hereinafter referred to as "CREC"), was held in the southern city of Boyuibe, Bolivia.

The El Espino Highway project is a key cooperation project between China and Bolivia in the infrastructure field, supported by a loan from the Export-Import Bank of China and undertaken by CREC. The project is located in Santa Cruz Department in eastern Bolivia, with a total length of 159 kilometers, built to Class II highway standards. It is a core component of Bolivia's Route 36 passenger and freight dedicated line, passing through the Guarani indigenous autonomous region and important agricultural and livestock production areas in southern Santa Cruz Department, and connecting to the main South American international transport route.

In his speech, Bolivian President Arce said that the completion of the El Espino Highway project is of historic significance. The originally muddy and bumpy dirt road has become a smooth and unobstructed thoroughfare, which will powerfully accelerate connectivity in eastern Bolivia. He thanked the Chinese government for providing financing and technical support and thanked Chinese enterprises for using wisdom and technology to build a high-quality highway. He expressed the hope that the highway, like the centuries-old Inca Trail, will continue to serve people's production and life and promote local industrialization.

Peru Huánuco-Huallanca Highway Reconstruction and Expansion Project

On September 26, 2023, the Huactahuaru Tunnel, a key controlling works of the Peru Huánuco-Huallanca Highway Reconstruction and Expansion Project undertaken by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, was officially holed through. The Huánuco-Huallanca Highway Reconstruction and Expansion Project started in March 2019. Once completed, it will connect with the Pan-American Highway and is expected to significantly improve local traffic conditions.

According to reports, the highway reconstruction and expansion project is located in the Huánuco and Áncash regions of Peru and is currently the largest infrastructure project under construction in Peru. The highway crosses the Andes Mountains, with a total length of 236.63 kilometers, of which 90% of the section is at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters. The Huactahuaru Tunnel is the only tunnel in the project, with a route length of 597 meters. The holing-through of the Huactahuaru Tunnel lays a good foundation for the orderly connection of subsequent processes of the highway.

Justino, a representative of the Áncash region, said at the tunnel holing-through ceremony that day that building the tunnel was a major project the local people had long awaited, and he thanked the Chinese enterprise for helping realize the dream. The holing-through of the tunnel will greatly improve local traffic and bring more trade opportunities.‍

This forum released

the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation

List of Practical Cooperation Deliverables

Highway-related content includes

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Bilateral cooperation documents:

◆The Chinese government signed international road transport agreements with the governments of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and other countries, and signed with the Pakistani government a five-year action plan (2023-2027) on deepening highway technical cooperation.‍

Cooperation projects:

◆The Chinese government and the Vietnamese government jointly launched the China Basha-Vietnam Bat Xat Red River boundary river highway bridge project.

◆China Development Bank implemented the sovereign credit facility project of the Republic of Senegal (Dakar Viaduct and Ndiaye Highway Reconstruction and Expansion Project).

◆The Export-Import Bank of China signed loan agreements with Cambodia for infrastructure construction projects such as highways, bridges and reservoirs.

◆Support financing for the Kenya Nairobi Expressway project and the Ecuador Quito Central Urban Access Project. Signed a loan agreement with Guyana for Phase II of the East Coast Demerara Road Project. Build the Dhaka Airport Elevated Expressway project and the Dhaka Ring Expressway project in Bangladesh, and the Valjevo Expressway project in Serbia.

◆Signed a loan agreement with Cambodia for the Prek Pnov Bassac River Bridge and connecting highway project. Signed a financing agreement with Serbia for the Novi Sad Danube Bridge and connecting roads project, and a financing agreement with the Philippines for the Pasig River bridge project.‍

Livelihood and people-to-people connectivity projects:

◆Implement the Kenya Sagana-Marua (A2) Highway project.‍