China trains Algerian engineers for building highways

BEIJING, Dec. 7 (Chinese media) -- China began Sunday to train

Algerian engineers for building highways in Algeria.

The training program is part of the agreement between

two Chinese companies and the Algerian side after the Chinese won a bidding for

highway construction worth 6.25 billion U.S. dollars.

CITIC Group, together with China Railway Construction

Corporation (CRCC), got the lucrative contract in May 2006. Meanwhile, the

Chinese consortium promised to build some bridges and wells for residents along

the highway, train Algerian engineers, invest 10 million euros in establishing

an advanced engineering management school in Algeria, as well as organize

Chinese agricultural experts to train Algerian farmers.

The 76 Algerian trainees are taking the 40-day boot

camp at either the Beijing-based Northern Jiaotong University or the

Nanjing-based Southeast University, focusing on highway design, engineering and

operation management as well as the Chinese language.

Algerian ambassador to China Djamel Eddine Grine told

Chinese media, such training programs are urgently needed by Algerian highway

engineers. He said he appreciated the technical transfer from the Chinese side.