PHNOM PENH, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Sen Sok Friendship Overpass Bridge was inaugurated here on Monday to reduce traffic jams, particularly between central Phnom Penh and the Phnom Penh international airport.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador Xiong Bo presided over the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by government officials, local authorities, residents, teachers, and students totally about 3,500.
The prime minister said the 16.5-meter-wide and 942-meter-long flyover, situated at an intersection on the Russian Federation Boulevard in the city's Sen Sok district, was built by the Shanghai Construction Group Co. Ltd. in a period of two years.
It cost 17 million U.S. dollars, which was the concessional loan from the Chinese government, he said.
"It can be considered as the longest overpass of all five overpasses in Phnom Penh," he said. "It is very important to ease traffic jams."
"Through Ambassador Xiong Bo, I would like to express my profound gratitude to the government and people of China for providing grant aid and concessional loan to Cambodia for infrastructure development," Hun Sen said.
"Cambodia has got enormous benefits from the Cambodia-China relations," the prime minister said.
Meanwhile, Hun Sen said China's progress had benefited not only China itself, but also other countries in the world, including Cambodia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
He said the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which is backed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund, has also been providing a lot of benefits to all participating countries.
Ambassador Xiong said the relations between the two countries have been elevated to a high level, and the bilateral cooperation in economics, trade, investment, and tourism have been steadily further enhanced.
He said the Belt and Road Initiative would bring more opportunities for the development of China and Cambodia, and would provide great benefits to the peoples of the two countries.
A Sen Sok district resident Long Sameth said he was very pleased to see China's aid to Cambodia, saying that China's support was vital for socio-economic development and poverty reduction in Cambodia.
"I'm very excited and happy that the Prime Minister has partnered with China, and China has helped Cambodia a lot in the development of roads, bridges, and so on," the 62-year-old man told Xinhua.