Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet (C, front) cuts the ribbon to inaugurate the National Road 71C in Tbong Khmum province, Cambodia, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Cambodia on Saturday inaugurated the China-funded National Road 71C, connecting the eastern Tbong Khmum province with the southeastern Kampong Cham province, for economic boom in the country.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the 114.9-km road is crucial to facilitating travel and goods transportation and will play an important role in helping boost the local economy and tourism development.

"The National Road 71C is expected to help boost the efficiency of the exports of agricultural and agro-industrial products, particularly rubber," he said. "It will also help attract more tourists and investors to areas along the road."

Hun Manet said China is an "indispensable friend" of Cambodia for socio-economic development.

"China is recognized as No. 1 partner, who has been providing a great amount of concessional loans and grants for the development of infrastructure, including roads and bridges in Cambodia," he said.

He said that alignment between China's Belt and Road Initiative and Cambodia's Pentagonal Strategy has provided "win-win results".

Speaking at the event, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin said to date, China has helped construct national roads in a total length of over 4,000 km and more than 10 large-scale bridges.

"Roads and bridges across the Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers have not only facilitated the daily travel of the Cambodian people, but also injected vigorous energy into the development of Cambodia," he said.

"This is a vivid example of alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Pentagonal Strategy," he added.

Cambodian Minister of Public Works and Transport Peng Ponea said the road was built by the Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) in 42 months.

"The road will facilitate travel, trade, and tourism in both countries and nearby provinces," he said. "It will also facilitate the transportation of crop seeds and agricultural and agro-industrial products, reducing costs and travel time."

Taing Sim, a 52-year-old resident in Kampong Cham province, said that when the road had not been constructed, travel was quite difficult and it took a long time because of mud and bumpy conditions.

"Now, the road is nice, which will facilitate the fast transportation of goods such as tapioca, cashew nuts, and rubber latex," she told Xinhua while attending the inauguration ceremony.

"I would like to thank China for helping develop Cambodia, and the Cambodian people are pleased to see good roads and bridges," she added.

Cambodia has a proverb saying, "Where there is a road, there is hope," Sim said, adding that China has built roads for Cambodia, which means that China has built hope for the Cambodian people.

Heng Sivleng, a 53-year-old resident in Kampong Cham province, said in the past, traveling on road from Tbong Khmum to Kampong Cham by motorcycle, it took up to three hours because of bad-conditioned road during the rainy season.

"Now, the road is good and convenient to travel, reducing costs on fuel and shortening travel time," she told Xinhua. 

An aerial drone photo taken on July 14, 2024 shows the National Road 71C in Tbong Khmum province, Cambodia. [Photo/Xinhua]