Feature: Work on China's BRI-backed Mekong River bridge in NE Cambodia in full swing, with 51 pct completed

KRATIE, Cambodia, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Robed in a hi-vis vest and crowned with a yellow hard hat, Cambodian welding technician Mao Vanchhet is proud of working with a Chinese contractor to build a "historic" Mekong River bridge here in northeast Cambodia, with funds from China.

Work on this large-scale Mekong River bridge, which began in March 2023, is currently in full swing. The bridge is scheduled to be completed on schedule in September 2025 by Shanghai Construction Group, as one of the projects under Belt and Road cooperation.

Vanchhet said it is a historic milestone for Kratie to have such a large-scale bridge across the Mekong River, adding that China has been bringing great changes to socioeconomic development in the province.

"Working here has helped me improve my welding skills, providing me new experience and techniques that I have never known before," the 31-year-old told Xinhua on Thursday.

He said working on such a huge project has not only given him invaluable experience, but also made him feel proud of having contributed to the construction of a landmark bridge for the residents in Kratie.

"This bridge, when the construction is completed, will provide a lot of benefits to people, allowing them to cross the river conveniently," Vanchhet said.

Workers at the project are from China and Cambodia, and they have worked together well, with mutual help and respect, he added.

"Cambodian and Chinese workers have good communication with each other during both on-duty and off-duty, and we always respect each other," he said. "I would like to thank China for funding the construction of this river bridge, which will make it easier for people to travel and transport their products."

Nheom Vanny, a 37-year-old Khmer-Chinese interpreter at the Mekong River Bridge project in Kratie province, said he is really happy to work on this bridge project, adding that it will make traveling across the river fast and convenient.

"The bridge, when the construction is completed, will provide great benefits to people, facilitating their travel," he told Xinhua.

Vanny said during the construction period, the company has provided all employees free accommodation and meals, as well as decent wages.

"I would like to thank China for having supported many infrastructure projects which have importantly contributed to Cambodia's development," he said.

Chen Haojie, engineering manager of the Mekong River Bridge project in Kratie province, said the bridge is 1,761 meters long and 13.5 meters wide, and currently 300 Cambodian workers are on this project.

"As of today, 51 percent of the bridge has been completed," he told Xinhua on Thursday. "When the construction is completed, the bridge will connect the roads on both sides of the river and allow people on both sides to travel more conveniently."

Yem Sophy, a 30-year-old grocer living along a road leading to the bridge in Chetr Borei district, said currently, when people cross the river, they need to take a ferry, and for a single crossing, it costs 2,000 riels (50 U.S. cents) for a person and a motorcycle.

"When the bridge is completed, we will be glad to cross the river," she told Xinhua. "We will no longer need to ride a ferry."