Power China projects bring prosperity to host nations

State-owned Power Construction Corp of China (Power China) is resuming overseas projects in an orderly manner in a bid to bring overseas business back to normal and benefit local regions.

Its projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, Laos and elsewhere are back on track.

At the beginning stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, Power China issued an emergency plan for contagion prevention and control in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It established an emergency working group and a contagion prevention office in order to guide local employees in the fight against pandemic.

Specifically, the working group strictly implemented an epidemic prevention and control system, including body temperature tests, regular disinfections and medical material distribution and updates. To increase employee knowledge and awareness of prevention and control measures, it also organized related lectures.

"It's amazing," said Mirza Krasnic, an employee from a hydropower project along the Neretva River in Bosnia and Herzegovina after attending the lectures.

"My mom said I was really lucky to learn from Chinese experience in epidemic prevention and control directly and comprehensively. The company also offered protective materials to us to ensure our safety," he said.

Power China said that currently, with the priority being "no infections", its two projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina were being constructed in an orderly manner. The company vowed to work hard to ensure project compliance, build its corporate brand overseas and serve the local market.

Wu Gangliang, a researcher at the China Enterprise Reform and Development Society, said: "Currently, the overseas pandemic situation is still severe, and SOEs' overseas production and operations and other business activities are greatly affected. Demand is insufficient and costs are rising. The resumption of overseas projects faces great pressure."

However, SOEs managed to overcome difficulties to stabilize the global supply chain, enhance working partners' confidence and deepen localization overseas, fully demonstrating their economic and social responsibilities, Wu said.

Power China's 730-megawatt power station project in Rumaila, Iraq, was also making steady progress. On the basis of epidemic prevention and control, local employees actively overcame various difficulties in construction and production to ensure progress of the project.

Due to the contagion, many overseas employees could not return to their workplace after taking vacations. Therefore, local employees remained at the project site to ensure normal production activities.