Engineers fully connected the Puzhai Tunnel of the China-Vietnam Smart Port: Puzhai-Tan Thanh Corridor on Friday night, marking a significant milestone in the construction of this cross-border trade facilitation project in south China's Guangxi.
Linking two major border crossings in China and Vietnam, the Puzhai-Tan Thanh Corridor is one of the two pilot projects under the China-Vietnam Smart Port scheme.
The smart port initiative, a collaboration between China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Vietnam's Lang Son Province, is part of both countries' broader efforts to enhance bilateral trade and streamline border processes. It aims to "ensure smooth flow across border ports, accelerate the upgrading and opening of ports, improve port infrastructure connectivity, promote smart port cooperation, and accelerate the integration of industrial and supply chains, according to local authorities.
Located northwest of the Puzhai Cargo Supervision Center, the Puzhai-Tan Thanh project spans nearly 120, 000 square meters, with an estimated investment of around 760 million yuan (about 105 million U.S. dollars).
The corridor is expected to strengthen trade ties between China and Vietnam while providing a significant economic boost to the border regions.
China-Vietnam smart port project reaches key milestone
China has built and upgraded nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads across Africa as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to boost industrial and infrastructure development, as well as trade on the continent.
In Uganda, the 217.9-million-U.S.-dollar Masindi-Park Junction and Tangi Junction-Paraa-Buliisa road project serves as a vital link for both commerce and conservation in the country.
Funded by the China Export-Import Bank and built by China Communications Construction Company, the project is not just a ribbon of asphalt, but a lifeline connecting communities and catalyzing growth.
The road winds through the vast Murchison Falls National Park, reducing travel time and improving the tourist experience.
And the 51-kilometer Kampala Entebbe Expressway in the country, financed and constructed by China, reduces the travel time from Kampala to Entebbe airport to 30 minutes from 120 minutes before.
In Tanzania, the Chinese-built state-of-the-art Kijazi Interchange in Dar es Salaam is the biggest project of its kind in the country.
It consists of a three-level interchange with the maximum height of 17.5 meters and service roads.
The interchange significantly reduces traffic jams in the commercial capital, making heavy traffic jams lasting for hours at the busy Ubungo junction history.
The Keffi Road project in Nigeria, contracted by the China Harbor Engineering Company, was completed in 2023.
The project comprises the construction of the Abuja-Keffi expressway and dualization of Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi road in central Nigeria, facilitating local economic activities along with job opportunities and road-construction expertise.
The 27.1-kilometer Nairobi Expressway, built by a Chinese firm, is providing a faster route for motorists heading to and from the central business district, the city's industrial area and the main international airport.
It is part of a broader investment in Kenya's transport infrastructure, aimed at improving road connectivity and supporting the country's economic growth.
Since its launch, the toll road has significantly cut travel time between Nairobi's southern areas, home to the main airport, and the upscale Westlands suburb, from two hours during peak times to just 20 minutes.
China builds, upgrades nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads across Africa
