China-backed Vanua Levu road works to start this year

Construction of a China-supported road upgrade project in Vanua Levu is expected to begin before the end of the year, with preliminary design and bidding completed.

Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Fiji, Wang Yuan, said the remaining design and administrative procedures were now being finalised.

The $300 million China-Aid Vanua Levu Road Upgrading Project will upgrade more than 80 kilometres of rural roads across Bua and Cakaudrove. The project is funded through a Chinese Government grant under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The works cover three key corridors — 15 kilometres of the Nabouwalu Road in Bua, 32 kilometres of the Natewa West Coast Road and 35 kilometres of the Wailevu West Coast Road in Cakaudrove. More than 20 bridges are expected to be rebuilt and more than 160 culverts upgraded.

The project is expected to directly benefit 61 villages, 15 schools and about 10,000 residents, improving access to healthcare, markets, education and Government services.

Speaking at a media gathering in Suva, Mr Wang said a Chinese state-owned enterprise with extensive experience in road and bridge construction was expected to undertake the project.

The company is expected to send a team to Fiji once the remaining procedures on the Chinese side have been completed.

Fiji and China formally approved the preliminary design in April this year, clearing the way for detailed planning and contractor selection. Fiji Roads Authority chief executive officer Apisai Ketenilagi said at the time that construction was expected to begin before December 2026 and would take about 24 to 36 months to complete.

Mr Wang said the Chinese Embassy was working with relevant Fijian authorities and stakeholders to facilitate the project and ensure construction could begin within the year.

“We are eager to bring this project to fruition as soon as possible,” he said.

Mr Wang said the timely commencement of construction was a common goal for both China and Fiji.

The project dates back to January 2024, when Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and then Chinese Ambassador Zhou Jian formalised an exchange of notes for a feasibility study for the China-Aid initiative. A Chinese technical team subsequently carried out the study in Vanua Levu.