Cambodian PM praises Chinese firm for contribution to kingdom's infrastructure development

PHNOM PENH, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Wednesday commended the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) for its great contribution to the kingdom's infrastructure development.

The Cambodian leader made the remarks during a meeting with CRBC's President Du Fei in Phnom Penh, said Eang Sophalleth, a personal assistant to Hun Sen.

"The prime minister expressed his satisfaction with the presence of the company here for more than 20 years, and said the company had greatly contributed to the development of infrastructure in Cambodia," the assistant told reporters after the meeting.

The CRBC is the developer of the 187-km Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, which has been put into operation since October last year.

On Wednesday, the CRBC also began the construction of a 135.1-km expressway connecting Phnom Penh with Svay Rieng province's Bavet City on the border with Vietnam.

Hun Sen said these expressways are the fruit of cooperation between Cambodia and China under the Belt and Road Initiative, saying that the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway has been playing a crucial role in boosting local economic growth and tourism development.

For his part, Du thanked Hun Sen for supporting the CRBC, granting the company rights to conduct feasibility studies for the construction of the expressway from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap province and the expressway from Siem Reap to Banteay Meanchey province's Poipet City on the border with Thailand.

He said the company will send its experts to carry out feasibility studies into the two expressway projects in the near future.