Paving the path to an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future

Editor's note: Zhao Jiyou is Party Committee Secretary of the Latin America Branch of China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group Co., Ltd. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and not necessarily those of CGTN. It has been translated from Chinese and edited for brevity and clarity.

CGTN presents a special series on the role of China's centrally administered SOEs in the Asia-Pacific, in collaboration with China's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC). The series explores their contributions to regional connectivity, green transition, the digital economy, industrial cooperation and people's livelihoods, with insights on building a shared future for the region.

This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. With the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting scheduled for November in Shenzhen, the vision of "building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future" is once again in the global spotlight. As a Chinese central state-owned enterprise with a long-standing presence in APEC member economies such as Peru and Chile, the Latin America Branch of China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group is providing a vivid illustration of this vision through a series of tangible infrastructure projects.

Connectivity is about more than building roads; it is about bringing people closer together. In Peru's northwestern Piura Region, we are undertaking a 40.9-kilometer road improvement project linking the towns of Yapatera and Frías. 

Originating at the Pan-American Highway, the route connects the districts of Chulucanas and Frías. As a vital arterial route for local livelihoods, the road had long fallen into disrepair. Every rainy season, it turned into an impassable mud track, impeding daily travel and the transport of agricultural goods for nearby communities. 

We are currently reinforcing the roadbed and paving the surface in sections, while simultaneously upgrading drainage and road safety infrastructure. Once completed, the road will allow local produce to reach markets and agricultural supplies to flow into villages. Transit between the two districts will no longer be at the mercy of the weather. 

In Ayacucho, at an altitude of 4,500 meters, we completed the rehabilitation and maintenance of 132 kilometers of mountain roads, transforming narrow, slippery dirt tracks into a smooth thoroughfare connecting two regions. Having passed Peru's final inspection and official handover, the project now benefits local residents and supports regional economic development along the route.

Connectivity is not simply about roads; ultimately, it is about people. 

In Peru's Amazonas Region, we partnered with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) on the construction of the new Santiago Apóstol Hospital in Utcubamba, a project designed to improve local healthcare access. More than 500 community members attended the groundbreaking ceremony in March 2026. 

In Chile, we won the contract for Santiago's Alameda–Barrancas railway branch line and dispatching center. The project involves constructing new passing loops and dispatch facilities for Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado (EFE), helping improve the quality and efficiency of rail transport across the Santiago metropolitan area. 

Our earlier work on the San Pedro–Ventanas railway rehabilitation and the Chañaral Bridge project earned EFE's Outstanding Project Award and Safe Construction Site Award, respectively.

From roads to railways, and from construction to maintenance, the most important lesson we have learned is this: wherever we build, friendship takes root; wherever infrastructure connects, people grow closer.

Building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future requires not only the "hard connectivity" of physical infrastructure but also the "soft connectivity" of closer people-to-people ties.

Drawing on our international practice, we work to align standards and ensure full-lifecycle performance across all our projects. We are also committed to delivering more small-scale yet impactful projects that improve people's livelihoods, ensuring the dividends of connectivity are tangible and accessible to local communities. 

At the same time, we prioritize local hiring and provide skills training for local workers, turning the benefits of joint development into local employment and growth opportunities. We also promote green and smart construction practices, drawing on Chinese technologies and solutions to support sustainable development throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The Pacific is vast enough for all parties to prosper together. The Latin America Branch of China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group Co., Ltd. will continue to deepen its presence in Latin America while strengthening connections across the Asia-Pacific region. By paving roads and delivering goodwill, we will continue to demonstrate the commitment and responsibility of China's central state-owned enterprises in jointly building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future.