Feature: Chinese engineers pave the way for development in Africa

GUIYANG, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- With the weather at a sweltering 35 degrees Celsius, Ge Yi, a project manager from China, finished his simple lunch and immediately drove to the location of his next task. He was going to verify some data for the upcoming construction of the national highway No. 2 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The highway, linking the capital with central regions, is in a poor state of repair, with extensive water damage and potholes everywhere. Guizhou Highway Engineering Group, where Ge works, has become the leading contractor tasked with restoring this essential transport route.

Ge and his colleagues have been assigned the mission of upgrading the 280-kilometer section between Mbuji-Mayi and Mbanza, building a two-way dual-lane asphalt concrete road, a reinforced concrete bridge, and a drainage system.

Ge grew up in Guizhou Province in southwest China, a relatively under-developed mountainous area, and knows well the significance of infrastructure in driving economic growth. "To get rich, you must first build roads," he noted, citing a well-known Chinese adage.

With extensive experience in major infrastructure projects across China, Ge is confident in his team's ability to deliver. "Conditions here are challenging, but we are inspired because we know our efforts will pay off when the highway ultimately contributes to DRC's development," he told Xinhua reporters stationed in Guizhou via an overseas call.

Since arriving in the DRC in early March, Ge and his team have worked tirelessly to advance the construction project. Apart from language barriers and difficulties in acclimatization, they've faced numerous technical challenges, including high temperatures that can cause the cement-stabilized soil to crack in the dry season.

To address this problem, they have come up with the solution of using a curing poly membrane, which can reduce water usage and costs while maintaining the necessary moisture level, instead of conventional geotextile or sprinkling water.

Over the past decade, China's infrastructure collaboration with Africa has yielded significant results. Guizhou Highway Engineering Group, for instance, has won contracts for several road construction projects in Africa.

The current project is scheduled to take 39 months, and once finished it will markedly slash the travel time between Kabinda and Mbanza.

"Improved transportation will not only ensure more timely and adequate supplies in Kabinda but will also help reduce the local costs of living," Ge said, adding that the project is also set to boost local employment, with over 200 workers already hired and more to come.

"While realizing my own dream of building roads overseas, I hope those projects can also help forge Africa's path for development," he said.