As an active player of the Belt and Road Initiative, China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) has helped to promote the social and economic development of countries along the Belt and Road with high-quality projects, while forging friendships between people of various nationalities.

Here are the major overseas projects that CSCEC built in 2019.

Great Mosque of Algiers

The Great Mosque of Algiers, completed on Jan. 31, 2019, is the world’s third largest mosque. It boasts the world’s tallest minaret, at a height of 265 meters. The minaret of the mosque is the world’s highest steel structure-type minaret, with 42 floors aboveground and two underground. The total weight of steel used in the structure is 8,041 tons. The mosque complex includes a library with large collections of books, a cultural center, a research office of the Koran, several parks, a parking lot, an administration center, and a dining area. The construction of the mosque was contracted to CSCEC Algeria and China Construction Third Engineering Bureau, and they were joined by China Construction Science and Industry Corporation and China State Decoration Group.

Route Nationale 1 of the Republic of Congo

Route Nationale 1 (National Road No. 1) of the Republic of Congo was put into use on March 1, 2019. It is the highest-grade road with best driving experience in the county. It is also the largest and most important cooperation project between the Republic of Congo and China since their diplomatic ties were established. The road, dubbed the “Dream Road,” links the capital Brazzaville and the country’s economic center Pointe-Noire. It has become an artery of the country’s transportation network, linking three major cities and strengthening the country’s connection with neighboring countries. It further promotes the integration of central Africa, and has immeasurable political, economic, and social significance. The road was contracted to China State Construction International Holdings, China Construction Fifth Engineering Bureau, and China Construction Eighth Engineering Bureau.

New Algiers Airport

The new Algiers Airport was put into operation on April 29, 2019. It is the largest airport in Africa and measures up to international standards. Occupying an area of 650,000 square meters with a floor space of 200,000 square meters, the airport consists of a terminal, an overpass, parking lots, parking aprons, and a new energy center. It is expected to handle 10 million passengers annually. It has significantly bettered passenger experience, while also improving the investment environment and serving as North Africa’s aviation hub. The signature project between China and Algeria will remarkably improve local economy and facilitate the development of culture and tourism. The project was contracted to CSCEC Algeria and China Construction Eighth Engineering Bureau, and they were joined by China Construction Science and Industry Corporation and China State Decoration Group.

Amador Convention Center in Panama

The Amador Convention Center in Panama, put into operation on May 1, 2019, is by far the largest and most advanced convention center in Central America. With a floor space of 65,000 square meters, the center can house 25,000 people. It will significantly enhance the country’s capabilities of hosting large conventions, exhibitions, and other international events. Juan Carlos Varela, the then president of Panama, has visited the construction site multiple times. He mentioned on a number of occasions that CSCEC’s project team has brought modern technology, high quality, and international-standard management to the convention center project. The project will boost industrial development and create thousands of jobs, and promote bilateral economic and trade ties between Panama and China. The project was undertaken by China Construction America together with China State Decoration Group.

Multi-Sports Complex Center in Mauritius

On July 15, 2019, the Multi-Sports Complex Center in Mauritius was put into operation. It is country’s first international-standard stadium, and also the country’s largest sports center. The complex includes a 15,000-seat Olympic-standard stadium, a modern soccer field, an aquatic center, and a gymnasium. The stadium and the aquatic center received financial assistance from the Chinese government as part of a pilot program supporting countries building their own projects. The completion of the center will not only provide venues for the country’s sports and cultural activities, but also attract important regional events of Africa and Indonesian areas, thus increasing influence of Mauritius. The project was contracted to CSCEC.

Hengyi Industries’ Pulau Muara Besar (PMB) petrochemical project in Brunei

The Hengyi Industries’ Pulau Muara Besar (PMB) petrochemical project in Brunei was completed and put into production on Sept. 6, 2019. As a flagship cooperation project written down in a joint communique between China and Brunei, the project is among China’s first batch of key projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative. The project marks Brunei’s largest single foreign investment project in recent years, and it is also China’s first overseas petrochemical project designed, constructed and operated in accordance with Chinese standards. The project is expected to reduce Brunei’s reliance on crude oil export, and act as a catalyst to boost the country’s economy. China Construction Industrial & Energy Engineering Group, a subsidiary of CSCEC, worked on 18 smaller projects.

Peshawar-Karachi Motorway (Sukkur-Multan section) project in Pakistan

The Peshawar-Karachi Motorway (Sukkur-Multan section) project in Pakistan was completed and opened to traffic on Nov. 5, 2019. It is the largest transport infrastructure under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and a key project of the Belt and Road Initiative. The project features the highest design level and the most advanced intelligent system of Pakistan, and it is designed to withstand a 1-in-100-year flood event. After its opening to traffic, the project will open up the north-to-south traffic artery in central Pakistan, greatly improve the country’s traffic situation, directly promote the social and economic development of the areas along the route, and play a positive role in the connectivity between China and Pakistan. The project has a total length of 392 kilometers with a design speed of 120 kilometers per hour, and its contract value is about US$2.89 billion. The project was contracted and undertaken by China State Construction International Holdings, China Construction Third Engineering Bureau, China Construction Seventh Engineering Division,  China Construction Fifth Engineering Division and China Construction Industrial & Energy Engineering Group. CSCEC AECOM Consultants participated in its design phase.

Section 3 of the Southern Expressway Extension project in Sri Lanka

Section 3 of the Southern Expressway Extension project in Sri Lanka was completed and opened to traffic on Nov. 7, 2019. The highway is a crucial project for the Chinese and Sri Lankan governments to jointly build the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It is also an important part of the highway network in the overall national development strategy of Sri Lanka. The project, praised by local residents as the “road of wealth to the future,” will become the main traffic artery of the western and southern regions of Sri Lanka, effectively enhancing the level of connectivity among the country’s four major cities—the capital Colombo, Hambantota, Mattala, and the tourist city of Galle. The project will help Sri Lanka move towards the goal of building itself into an economic center of South Asia. The project was contracted to China State Construction International Holdings, China Construction Third Engineering Bureau, and China Construction Sixth Engineering Division.

237-kilometer climate-resilient road in Zambia

The 237-kilometer climate-resilient road project in Zambia was completed and opened to traffic on Nov. 21, 2019. The road connects Zambia’s central and southern provinces, and is the first interconnection between the Kafue River Basin and the Kafue National Park. By removing the seasonal traffic restrictions at Kafue, the project has brought great convenience to local people. The project is one of the latest achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative, and a gift for the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zambia. Moreover, it is the first-ever pilot project in Zambia invested by the Climate Investment Funds, aiming to cope with environmental changes. The road is gravel wear-resistant, with a length of 237 kilometers and a width of 5.5 meters. It was contracted to China State Construction International Holdings and China Construction Second Engineering Bureau.

Section CC4 of the Temburong Bridge project in Brunei

Section CC4 of the Temburong Bridge project in Brunei was completed on Nov. 29, 2019. The sea-crossing bridge, spanning the Brunei Bay, is the longest fully prefabricated bridge in the world, and the largest infrastructure project in Bruneian history. The bridge is designed to connect the Brunei-Muara and Temburong districts, and would shorten commute time from two hours to 15 minutes. For the sake of environmental protection, work on the CC4 section adopted an “elevated” construction method: During the whole construction process, all pier and beam work was accomplished on a mobile steel platform, so that no machinery or equipment would make contact with the rainforests. By that means, the occupation of land was reduced and the impact of construction wastes such as dust and mud was minimized. The project won the Top China Overseas Engineering Campsites Award as well as the International Safety Award issued by the National Security Council of the U.K. The project was contracted to China Construction Sixth Engineering Division.

Looking to the future, CSCEC will continue to establish solid footings overseas, actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, and represent the best of China.