About 20,000 km of road is still made of earth in the countryside of Cambodia, which causes trouble for local villagers. The China-assisted road project, which is helping to pave these routes, has brought convenience to local people and stimulated the rural development in Cambodia.

The Kampong Speu bridge (People's Daily/Lin Rui)

Contracted by the Shanghai Construction Group (SCG), the phase-1 project has already been completed, including six roads and one bridge covering four provinces of Cambodia, with a total length of 35.5 km.

The Kampong Speu bridge, part of the project that connects a village in the Kampong Speu province with national highway No. 4, has allowed locals to travel with ease when in the past, they had to make a detour of several kilometers to cross the river.

Meanwhile, the bridge also stimulates the village economy. The owner of a restaurant at one end of the bridge said the bridge brings him more customers and a daily income of over $100.

The 68-year-old resident Keo Meng was against the bridge construction at first because it would encroach on his land. But now the bridge is complete; he is thankful for it. "With the restaurant income, I have already built the former stilt house into a storied one," he said.

To ensure the quality of the project, the company has arranged over 20 managers to monitor the construction process, said Tan Ji, executive manager of the project.

Besides, the company considers the working conditions of the construction site to satisfy the demands of the locals. While constructing the Kampong Chhnang No. 3 road, the company built additional bridges and culverts for better water drainage and irrigation.

Ninety percent of the construction workers are from the local area. The company provided training to help Cambodian employees learn construction skills and procedures from their Chinese counterparts.

The China-assisted road project facilitates rural development, helps local villagers shake off poverty, and deepens the friendship between Cambodia and China, said Ouk Rabun, Cambodia's minister of rural development.