President: New PNG boulevard path to prosperity

President Xi Jinping said on Friday that China is willing to jointly plan for the path toward prosperity, openness and friendship with Papua New Guinea as he attended the handover ceremony of a road project financed and built by China.

The project, Independence Boulevard, 1,060 meters long and six lanes wide, links Parliament House to the city's main road.

The handover was celebrated with PNG national flags and red Chinese knots swinging on streetlight poles and Chinese national flags fluttering in the wind.

"What Independence Boulevard connects is the profound sentiments of friendship that Chinese people have for people in PNG, and it bears Chinese people's good wishes for PNG people," Xi said.

The 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting is a great event for PNG and the whole Pacific island region, Xi said. China, as the good friend and partner of PNG, has been, within its ability, offering support and assistance to the country to host the meeting.

"We believe the boulevard will bring more convenience and prosperity for local people," Xi said, adding that China is willing to boost mutual trust, expand communication and strengthen cooperation with PNG.

He also praised Chinese companies for finishing the road construction on time with the highest standards and fastest speed.

PNG's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, also attending the ceremony, thanked China for its great, long-term help to his country.

As a symbol of friendship between the two countries, the opening of the road will be a milestone in the bilateral relationship between China and PNG, O'Neill said.

"Independence Boulevard is not only a project, but also the embodiment of deep friendship between the people of the two countries," said Tang Qiaoliang, general manager of China Harbor Engineering Co, the contractor responsible for construction of the road.

"It will greatly help to improve the national image of PNG," Tang said.

The project created over 800 jobs for local people during its implementation and trained many people to become skilled workers, Tang said.

Gabriel Kol, a delivery driver in Port Moresby, looked forward to the opening of Independence Boulevard with great excitement.

"It is wide and enables more vehicles to go at the same time. It's great because I can shorten my route from point A to point B," he said.

The road was officially opened after the handover ceremony and ready to welcome guests and leaders from around the world attending the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on Saturday and Sunday.