Guyana and Suriname are seeking Chinese investment to bridge a border river between the two neighbouring South American countries that are yet to resolve a decades-old land-border dispute, the government announced Sunday.
The decision was taken during two days of bilateral talks between Guyana's President, Bharrat Jagdeo and the President of Suriname, Desi Bouterse.
No precise details were provided about the involvement of the Chinese.
As part of plans to bridge the Corentyne River, the two leaders also agreed that a technical team from both countries would meet within two weeks to explore possible locations of the bridge and other technical specifications before seeking bids.
"We have defined the work of the committee that we agreed when we met in Guyana, so the committee will proceed now to look at the technical options available; where would be the best site to locate the bridge," said Jagdeo.
The Guyanese leader wants the proposals from investors to include financing and repayment options.
When constructed, the Corentyne River bridge is expected to significantly reduce the length of time it takes to travel by a European Union-funded ferry service between the two countries.
To save time, many people choose to travel across the river in rickety wooden boats, several of which have capsized in the past resulting in deaths and injuries.
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