May 13th, local time in Bolivia, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Oruro-Challapata Section 1 bidirectional highway project (hereinafter referred to as the "Oruro Highway Project"), undertaken by China Railway(中国中铁), was held in Oruro. Nearly a thousand representatives from the Bolivian government, participating construction units, and communities along the highway attended the ceremony. Bolivian President Luis Arce personally attended the event and delivered a speech.
President Arce expressed that the completion of this highway will greatly promote the economic development of the Oruro region. The Bolivian government has full confidence in the construction capabilities and standards of Chinese enterprises, and hopes that the construction units can ensure quality and timely completion, as well as accelerate the implementation of future phases of highway construction.
The Oruro Highway Project is a project to renovate and expand the Bolivian national road network's Route 01. It mainly involves the construction of a 19.79-kilometer-long, bidirectional four-lane rigid pavement highway. The project is undertaken by a consortium formed by China Railway International and China Railway 7th Bureau Group.
In recent years, trade between China and Bolivia has grown rapidly, with fruitful cooperation in energy, minerals, infrastructure, and high-tech fields. According to data from 2023, bilateral trade between China and Bolivia reached USD 2.596 billion, with Chinese exports amounting to USD 1.134 billion and imports totaling USD 1.462 billion, representing year-on-year growth of 34.5%, 7.1%, and 67.7% respectively. China has consistently been Bolivia's second-largest trading partner, its largest source of imports, and the seventh-largest destination for exports. China's main exports to Bolivia include automobiles, motorcycles, tires, and high-tech products, while major imports consist of minerals, leather, timber, and sawn timber.
Bolivia possesses abundant petroleum, natural gas, and lithium resources. Currently, the country is actively developing partnerships in related fields to attract more investment and promote the development and export of the lithium industry. According to data from 2022, Bolivia's exports of lithium carbonate exceeded 600 tons, with China and the United Arab Emirates being its main export markets.
The Oruro Highway Project will provide a convenient link to southern cities, connect to the Pan-American Highway network, link Oruro with surrounding areas, and serve as a vital component of Bolivia's southwestern transportation corridor.