AKP Phnom Penh, March 05, 2026 -- China’s Ambassador to Cambodia said Thursday he looks forward to the official opening of the Cambodia-China Mekong Kratie Friendship Bridge, expressing confidence that the project will contribute to Cambodia’s economic development and improve the livelihoods of local residents.

“I look forward to the Cambodia-China Mekong Kratie Friendship Bridge being officially opened and making a positive contribution to promoting Cambodia’s economic development and facilitating people’s daily lives,” Chinese Ambassador H.E. Wang Wenbin said in a message posted on social media Thursday morning.

According to Phorn Rim, spokesperson for the Cambodian Ministry of Public Works and Transport, construction of the bridge across the Mekong River in Kratie and its connecting roads has reached 96.84 percent completion.

The bridge is scheduled to open to public traffic on April 1, 2026, ahead of the Khmer New Year celebrations, he said.

The ministry described the Cambodia-China Mekong Kratie Friendship Bridge and its associated infrastructure as a key strategic project aimed at enhancing connectivity between communities on the eastern and western banks of the Mekong River. 

The project is also expected to improve transport links between Kratie and Kampong Thom, while strengthening integration with major national highways and supporting development in Cambodia’s northeastern regions.

By K. Rithy Reak