Angola last week inaugurated the 1,344-kilometer-long Angola railway, the second longest Chinese-built railway in Africa, and built by China Railway Construction Corporation.
Also called the "Benguela Railway," the track runs from the western port area of Lobito to Luau, a border town on the eastern side of Angola.
The new line is now the quickest way for people to travel by train throughout Angola. It is also connected to rail transport routes in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia.
The line consists of 67 stops and 42 bridges. It will provide Angola with advantages in both tourism and trade since all types of travelers will benefit from the rapid transport mode.
The trains will be able to operate at speeds of up to 90 km/h on the line. The new railway project's potential to benefit local communities is shown by the large numbers of Angolans that have relocated to places situated along the track.
The rail construction project began in 2004 and will eventually be linked with train routes in the Angola-Zambia and Tanzania-Zambia regions.
The railway has been described as a "grand international rail passage" that will link the Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Chinese academic Wang Hongyi, who specializes in African studies, said that many small Chinese companies will reap rewards from overseas infrastructure projects, as gathered by China Daily.
Wang said a particular advantage will lie in the ability of such companies to make "use of excess manufacturing capacity."