MANILA — China and the Philippines signed a contract on Jan 14 to build a cross-sea bridge in Davao city in Southern Philippines, a flagship project under the country's "Build, Build, Build" program.

The Samal Island-Davao City bridge project, which will cost approximately $400 million, is one of the key G-to-G cooperation projects between China and the Philippines, the Chinese Embassy to the Philippines said in a press release.

The project is a two-way four-lane 3.86-km bridge to connect the Island Garden City of Samal to Davao city across the Pakiputan Strait.

The main bridge is 1.62-km long and will be designed in a cable-stayed structure with the twin towers and double cable planes.

The construction duration is estimated to last 60 months. Once completed, the bridge will provide a transportation link between Metro Davao and Samal Island, reducing the transportation time and enhancing internal mobility and external linkage to support the economic and tourist growth potential of the local region.

It will also increase the economic activities and improve the livelihoods of the local people.

The Chinese government and the Philippine government will soon kick off the loan agreement negotiation of the project. The project is expected to break ground in the first half of 2021, the Chinese embassy said.