Even as Bangladesh on Saturday hailed the newly inaugurated Padma Bridge, the longest withinside the united states, as a “image of countrywide pride”, Chinese media stated the “transportation hub alongside the Belt and Road” course boosts the photo of “made in China construction”.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday inaugurated the landmark 6.15km bridge, constructed over the 130km-lengthy meandering Padma River, marking the give up of the nearly $3.7 billion task, which commenced in 2015. Located a few 40km from Dhaka, the bridge connects the southwestern place of the united states with the capital thru avenue and rail.
China’s legit media has carefully tracked the improvement of the bridge, for the reason that the China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group (MBEC) has been at the back of its construction. The employer has built at the least 3 different bridges in Bangladesh earlier than Padma Bridge.
Chinese media referred to as the bridge a “key a part of an predicted Trans-Asian railway network”.
People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, in an editorial in advance this month – withinside the run-as much as the bridge’s inauguration – praised China’s efforts in constructing infrastructure in overseas countries, with the principle recognition at the Padma Bridge task. The article changed into posted below the headline, “Chinese companies’ foreign places tasks increase photo of ‘Made in China construction’”.
The article pointed out the task’s related to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an formidable international infrastructure task that is a part of Beijing’s strategic goals, together with sourcing sources and increasing influence.
“The bridge is likewise an essential transportation hub alongside the Belt and Road course and a essential channel connecting the Trans-Asian Railway,” it stated.
Interestingly, the Bangladesh overseas ministry stated final week that the Padma Multipurpose Bridge has been completely funded through Dhaka and “no overseas finances from any bilateral or multilateral investment enterprise have financially contributed to its construction”, a announcement which may be interpreted to suggest that the task isn’t always a part of BRI.
In the People’s Daily article, MBEC board chairperson Wen Wusong claimed that the employer has generated over 50,000 process possibilities for locals for the reason that begin of the bridge’s construction.
“Over the path of 8 years, centers consisting of flora and fueloline stations had been rolled out at the north facet of the river, contributing to a higher existence for neighborhood residents,” the record additionally claimed.
“In addition to selling neighborhood financial and social improvement, Chinese companies’ foreign places tasks have facilitated the export of superior Chinese technologies, system and control mechanisms,” it added.
“The big infrastructure task, with the principle bridge spanning 6.15 km in length, is undertaken through MBEC. It is the biggest and maximum tough infrastructure task in Bangladesh’s history,” legit information enterprise Xinhua claimed in numerous reviews at the bridge’s construction.
The kingdom owned MBEC changed into based in 1953 and, in line with a brief profile through Bloomberg, the “employer’s line of enterprise consists of offering wellknown contracting offerings consisting of building bridges and tunnels”. It is a subsidiary of the China Railway Group Limited.
The People’s Daily article additionally pointed out the 1,320 MW China-constructed Payra ultra-supercritical coal-fired strength plant,claiming it changed into the biggest of its type in Bangladesh and changed into placed into provider on March 21.
“It is the primary strength plant invested in and built through the China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation, a subsidiary of China General Technology (Group) Holding Co., Ltd., below a public–non-public partnership in Bangladesh,” it stated.
Chinese-funded tasks in Bangladesh consist of the $1.32 billion strength grid improvement, and a $1 billion digitalisation task, in line with kingdom-run China Daily newspaper.
