China-built Railway Contributes to Economic Growth in Angola

The Benguela railway, contracted by China Railway 20 Bureau Group Corporation, has been delivered to the Angolan government, another achievement of China-Africa cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The railway starts from the coastal city of Lobito in the west, passes main Angolan cities including Benguala, Huambo, Kuito and Luena and reaches the border city of Luau in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The railway goes through Angola from west to east with a total distance equaling that from Beijing to Shanghai in China, winning it the title "the golden belt" to promote African development.

With a total investment of about $1.83 billion, the railway was contracted by the Chinese company in a design-purchase-construction mode.

The entire engineering process was conducted to Chinese standards with all building materials like steel rail and concrete and large-scale mechanical equipment for construction purchased in and shipped from China.

Train cars and locomotives for service when the railway opens to traffic will also be offered by Chinese companies.

The construction began on Jan 6, 2006. During the building period, more than 1.6 million tons of cement, nearly 20,000 tons of steel and about 100,000 tons of steel rails were shipped from China to Angola.

In addition, more than 1,200 kilometers of optical and power cables as well as more than 10,000 station yard devices and railway construction machines were delivered to the construction site.

The purchase drove more than $3 billion of export trade.

To make the construction easier, the company built the largest storage logistics base in Angola, covering more than 800 mu (53.33 hectares), equaling the area of two China's National Stadiums and 70 international standard football fields.

To date, the railway has transported nearly 4.3 million passengers and over 300,000 tons of freight. It plays a significant role in improving economic development in affected areas and promoting personnel and material transportation between coastal and inland regions.

(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)