Chinese firms are first pick

 CHINESE companies will be given priority for major infrastructure projects in Papua New Guinea under the terms and conditions of the K6 billion Exim Bank loan, Works Minister Francis Awesa says.

Awesa said that yesterday during the signing of a K399 million road project with the China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) for the construction of the 20-km Kisenopoi Junction to Kaguel Bridge section of the Highlands Highway on the Western Highlands-Southern Highlands border.

He said one of the conditions of the Exim Bank was that Chinese contractors had to be used. 

Awesa said CMEC was one of the top five companies in China and he had seen what it could do.