Communication: "China's Speed is Amazing" - Chinese Enterprises Undertaking Expressway Construction to Boost the Economic and Social Development of Cote d'Ivoire | Reporter | Undertaking Construction
Abidjan, July 10th (Xinhua) - "China's Speed is Amazing" - Chinese Enterprises Undertaking Expressway Construction Helps Ivory Coast's Economic and Social Development
Xinhua News Agency reporter Zheng Yangzi
"China's speed is remarkable, not only does the project progress quickly, but it has also made our lives better. I am proud to work here," local driver Soro, who works on the Tebisu Bouak é highway project in C ô te d'Ivoire, told Xinhua News Agency recently.
In the second largest city of C ô te d'Ivoire, Bouak é, a wide and flat highway extends southward from the city center, leading to the town of Tebisu in the southern part of C ô te d'Ivoire. On the highway, cars and motorcycles occasionally pass by, and the public speaks highly of the new road surface.
Resident Cedric told that the Tiebu Expressway project was constructed by China Road and Bridge Engineering Co., Ltd. The total length of the highway is 95.6 kilometers, and the main construction has been completed recently. Some of the lines have been put into use. This project is part of the main national highway in Cote d'Ivoire. After completion, it will effectively enhance the road network capacity between important cities such as Abidjan, the economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire, Yamoussoukro, and Bouake. It is of great significance in promoting regional interaction and driving regional economic development.
"It used to take four to five hours from Abidjan to Bouak é. With the highway, I set off at 5am and arrived at the office after 8am," Bouak é Mayor Gibo said in an interview with reporters. "This highway allowed me to experience the speed of China."
"The Tiebu Expressway is a result of Africa China cooperation. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Science and Technology. We hope that this pragmatic cooperation will continue, and in the future, we can see more projects undertaken by China Road and Bridge Corporation in Science and Technology. We have confidence in the quality of the projects," said Jibo.
Due to the rainy season in C ô te d'Ivoire, the city of Bouak é has been continuously cloudy and rainy, and employees from China and Cote d'Ivoire are still working together to pour concrete for the isolation zone. This is the remaining work of the project. After completion, the Tiebu Expressway project will be handed over to Cote d'Ivoire for acceptance and the entire line will be opened to traffic at a scheduled time.
Project surveyor Daniel said that when he first started working on the project, he was most worried about communication issues. Later, he found out that Chinese personnel learned French by themselves and could still use some local language vocabulary in daily conversations, making communication basically smooth. "The completion of the project cannot be separated from the qualities of Chinese friends who understand respect and tolerance. They come to Cote d'Ivoire far from their hometowns, actively integrate into local culture, and bring advanced technology. This is a kind of sincerity, and we must also maintain it with sincerity," he said.
"Previously, there was only one small road in the village near the project, and locals had to walk more than ten kilometers to get to the town. We helped to widen the road, built a health center, and donated desks, chairs, and books to the school," project employee Liao Xinkun told reporters.
The project manager, Shu Yili, said that the Tiebu Expressway project team overcame adverse factors such as harsh natural environment, differences in technical standards, shortage of equipment and materials, and the impact of the COVID-19, and promoted project construction as scheduled, creating more than 2000 jobs for residents along the line.
"I work from this road every day and feel proud to drive on the road I have built. Most young people in the village have found jobs in projects, with more and more motorcycles and new houses. Everyone rides motorcycles to work every day, and the roar of the motors makes me feel the vitality that the road brings to the village." Daniel said.