Two kids walk over a corner in Masaya Department, Nicaragua on Dec. 12, 2021.(Photo: Xinhua)

The first large construction project kicked off on Sunday in Nicaragua after China and Nicaragua resumed diplomatic ties, with China set to help the country build affordable housing. 

The housing project is the first large cooperation project after China and Nicaragua resumed diplomatic ties, which is a testament to the friendship and cooperation between the two sides, Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) said at the groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday. 

Chinese Ambassador to Nicaragua Chen Xi said at the ceremony that the groundbreaking ceremony marks another friendly cooperation project that will benefit the people of Nicaragua, adding that the practical cooperation has been expanding and the bilateral relations have achieved leapfrog development, according to a release by the Chinese Embassy in Nicaragua on Tuesday.

The project is being undertaken by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), with a total construction area of about 35,000 square meters and a construction land area of about 340,000 square meters, according to a statement sent to the Global Times by CSCEC International on Tuesday.

Some 920 units of housing in Managua along with the central square, sports fields and other ancillary facilities will be built during the first phase, representing a big boost to quality of life for local residents. Local media reported that the project will add a total of 12,034 units of housing.

Nicaraguan President and Coordinator for Cooperation with China Laureano Ortega Murillo said that the housing project will benefit thousands of Nicaraguan families. He noted that local people are proud to say that these houses were built with the help of China and in partnership with China, according to media reports. 

Global Times