The Suai Highway, a road in Timor-Leste built by affiliates of China Railway Group Ltd, is helping the economy there develop, the People’s Daily reports.

The Chinese Communist Party newspaper quotes Timorese Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak as saying the road is important for the development of the oil industry in the south of his country, calling it ”a highway for modernisation and prosperity”.

The report says the first 30.4 km of the 155.7 km road was completed last November.

The Suai Highway connects Timorese to the world outside, and is a symbol of the benefits of the Sino-Timorese relationship, the People’s Daily quotes Chinese Ambassador to Timor-Leste Xiao Jianguo as saying.