Cambodia inaugurated a 45-kilometer upgraded section of the China-funded National Road 7 on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Hun Manet hailing it as a key project boosting trade, tourism, and regional connectivity.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Kampong Cham city in southeastern Cambodia, Hun Manet said the upgraded section — stretching from the Skun Market roundabout to the Kizuna Bridge roundabout in Kampong Cham city — connects the central region to the northeastern provinces, serving as a vital economic artery.
“This road will facilitate public transit, stimulate trade and tourism, and enhance the quality of life for residents and commuters,” he was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying.
The National Road 7 is a key transport thoroughfare connecting the capital Phnom Penh with Kandal and Kampong Cham provinces that also links Cambodia to the Lao border. The 196-km road is an early Chinese aid project, with construction beginning in 2004. It has been one of the busiest roads in the kingdom since it opened in 2008.
According to the Cambodian government, the upgrade and expansion project took 27 months and was undertaken by the China Road and Bridge Corporation, funded by a preferential loan from the Chinese government, with additional funding from the Cambodian government.
The upgraded road, expanded from two to four lanes, will handle rising traffic, speed up commercial and agricultural transport, and strengthen the logistics sector.
It is also expected to boost tourism in Kampong Cham, home to ancient temples, nature resorts, and historical sites.
Noting that the section will generate an estimated economic internal rate of return of up to 15.27 percent, Hun Manet said this new achievement reflects close cooperation between Cambodia and China. He thanked China for its extensive aid toward Cambodia’s socioeconomic development and poverty reduction.
“This road section vitalizes regional travel and trade, accelerating socioeconomic growth across Kampong Cham and neighboring high-potential provinces,” said Cambodian Minister of Public Works and Transport Peng Ponea.
Noting that China’s assistance improves logistics and drives national economic growth in line with Cambodia’s development and global trends, he also thanked China for its ongoing financial and technical support in expanding and rehabilitating Cambodia’s transport and infrastructure.
Ironclad friendship
After witnessing the inauguration, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin wrote in a Facebook post that the expanding network of roads and bridges in Cambodia reflects the country’s dynamism and growth, and stands as a symbol of the ironclad friendship between China and Cambodia.
“They truly are ‘roads of opportunity’ and ‘bridges of cooperation’, of which I am confident that more will be built in the future,” Wang said.
The inauguration of the expanded National Road 7 marked a major milestone under the government’s Pentagonal Strategy-Phase I, a socioeconomic policy agenda of the Cambodian government, said Thong Mengdavid, deputy director of the China-ASEAN Studies Center of the Cambodia University of Technology and Science.
Mengdavid told China Daily that the upgraded road, which will also be toll-free, would halve travel time to 30 minutes, transforming the congested bottleneck into an efficient transport corridor.
“For local farmers and traders, this means fresh agricultural products such as rubber, cashews, and cassava can reach markets and processing plants faster and at a lower cost,” he said.
In addition, with improved infrastructure in the area, more investment is expected to flow into the region, thus creating more employment opportunities, stabilizing regional supply chains, and enhancing connectivity, Mengdavid added.
Cambodia inaugurates China-funded road project
