Groundbreaking held for Cambodia’s second expressway, linking capital to Vietnam

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has presided over a groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the country’s second expressway, which will link the capital, Phnom Penh, to the eastern border with Vietnam. The road to Bavet city in Svay Rieng province is projected to take 48 months to construct and cost $1.35 billion. It is a project of China Bridge and Road Corp. China is Cambodia’s biggest investor and closest political partner, whose assistance largely underpins the Southeast Asian nation’s economy. Hun Sen says a feasibility study is underway for another expressway that would link Phnom Penh to Siem Reap province, site of the famous Angkor temples, and extend to Poipet on the western border with Thailand.