Builders drive sustainable infrastructure excellence

Chinese builders from Tianjin have shown dedication to the development of the Belt and Road Initiative through solid efforts paid in infrastructure construction.

China Construction Sixth Engineering Bureau, a State-owned business based in the port city in North China, has set an example with its contribution to the construction of the Temburong Bridge in Brunei.

The Temburong Bridge, which is one of the most representative projects of the BRI, is Brunei's largest infrastructure project in history, the world's longest fully prefabricated bridge and the longest sea-crossing bridge in Southeast Asia. It is hailed as "Brunei's most outstanding symbol of national modernization".

The total length of the bridge is about 30 kilometers, with the most challenging section being the CC4 section, about 11.8 km long, constructed by the Sixth Engineering Bureau.

"To save construction space and minimize the impact of construction waste such as dust and mud on the tropical rainforest ecosystem, we have adopted a fully prefabricated assembly construction method," said Jin Chunshang, a worker on the bridge project. "All bridge components are custom-produced in the factory, then transported to the site by sea for assembly. In a figurative sense, it's like building blocks to assemble a sea-crossing bridge."

The bridge, which was completed at the end of 2019 and officially opened in March 2020, has linked the once-remote Temburong district to the mainland of Brunei. This infrastructure marvel has greatly reduced travel time to around 15 minutes from the previous two-hour car journey. Additionally, the opening of the bridge has brought a large number of employment opportunities and helped to promote the diversification of the Brunei economy.

"We actively implement the BRI, adhere to the concepts of green and technological construction and have served 15 overseas markets including Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Israel and Saudi Arabia," said Wang Jin, Party secretary and chairman of the Sixth Engineering Bureau.

"In the fields of major bridge construction, rail transit, and high-end residential building, we have continuously achieved new breakthroughs and accumulated essential expertise, contributing to the connectivity of facilities and hearts. Meanwhile, the company's revenue from overseas markets has also achieved rapid growth," Wang added.

Another Tianjin-based builder, China Railway Construction Engineering Group Third Company, which has undertaken the construction of vital infrastructure in Mohan, has successfully completed the project of Mohan International Port City construction.

Mohan, a far-flung border town in southwest China's Yunnan province, is a crucial juncture of the China-Laos Railway and the Kunming-Bangkok Highway. As part of the effort to advance the China-Laos Mohan-Boten Economic Cooperation Zone, Mohan has experienced a renewal of its infrastructure thanks to the dedication of builders committed to the dream of constructing an international port city.

In early 2023, Third Company was entrusted with the task of constructing the Mohan International Port City project. Due to its pressing demand, Third Company mobilized 34 staff members from nearby projects, and all were deployed within 10 hours. Despite challenges like water and power shortages and lack of materials, the various tasks were quickly completed, including measurements, elevation confirmations and site preparations.

Over the past year, Third Company has undertaken multiple projects, including the Mohan Industrial Management Center, the International Port City station square, Mohan Digital Economy Industrial Park, and the 7th to 8th Roads connection.

For instance, the Mohan International Port City station square project includes commercial land, apartments, hotels, office buildings, a tourism center and a conference center, totaling 190,900 square meters. Construction progress includes the completion of various structures on site and roadwork connecting Mohan 7th to 8th Roads.

Lyu Guilin, Party secretary of the project branch, said the effort has been nonstop, adding: "Despite shortages of manpower and materials, we organized over 2,000 person-times for construction within just 10 days.

"I led one of the task forces, and we swiftly completed tasks like installing the fence at the second-line border gate, clearing slopes, cleaning the ASEAN Avenue, and greening roadsides."

Once completed, the project will enhance the city's infrastructure construction level and provide strong support for the high-quality construction of the Mohan International Port City, said Lyu.

"This is no longer just a simple engineering project; it is a crucial task undertaken by a State-owned enterprise to transform Mohan, a once desolate place, into a modern port city," he added.