ADDIS ABABA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China has remained a leading infrastructure partner in Ethiopia, with its companies involved in mega infrastructure projects across the country, a senior Ethiopian official has said.

Yetemgeta Asrat, Ethiopia's State Minister of Urban and Infrastructure, told Xinhua on Friday that China has "significantly" contributed to Ethiopia's infrastructure transformation through through its involvement in a number of projects such as suspension bridges, roads and railways.

"Ethiopia has witnessed a huge improvement in its infrastructure development, with Chinese companies playing an indispensable role in carrying out important infrastructure projects such as the Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway, the country's first expressway, and Abay River Bridge, the longest bridge in the country," Asrat told Xinhua during the opening of Ethiopia Infrastructure and Construction Week, which is held in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, from April 17 to 20.

He said the Chinese firms have been engaged in the construction of industrial parks, sugar factories, hydropower dams, wind farms and power transmission lines, serving as key partners and drivers of infrastructure development in the country.

"Chinese companies have played a vital role both in building infrastructure facilities and transferring knowledge to local professionals. Their engagement both in terms of number and value is incomparable with any other foreign companies," Asrat said.

According to the state minister, the engagement of Chinese companies particularly in Ethiopia's road sector has fundamentally narrowed the huge infrastructure development gap the country faced a decade ago.

"We expect that Chinese companies' role will grow even more, particularly through collaborating with the local companies. That's something that we vigorously insist on," the state minister noted.

Asrat also highlighted that Chinese companies have a good record in that they fit to the local context and cope with any challenges that might arise during the implementation of any project.

"The Chinese work culture is a good lesson that we should learn from. They also have excellent records in finishing projects as per their schedule," the state minister said, adding that Chinese companies have been a source of funding as well to several infrastructure projects in Ethiopia.

The exhibition, which remains open until Monday, aims to showcase the overall development of the construction industry in Ethiopia, ranging from building materials to smart construction technologies. It serves as a national platform to evaluate performance, align policy directions, and strengthen the synergy between government and the private sector. ■