In early September this year, Meng Xiangrui led a delegation from China to visit the Saint Pierre Cote d'Or Sports Complex. Six years ago, China State Construction Engineering Corporation's Eighth Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd. (referred to as "CSCEC Eighth Bureau") undertook the construction of all individual buildings of this sports center. This is the largest sports center in Mauritius, where Meng Xiangrui and his colleagues worked side by side for eight months.
The Saint Pierre Cote d'Or Sports Complex includes an integrated sports field, a swimming hall, and a general hall. Except for the general hall, built with aid from Saudi Arabia, the rest was funded by China, and the entire project was constructed by a Chinese team.
Using National Standard Steel to Greatly Save Costs
"The biggest challenge of this project was the tight schedule!" said Sun Song, head of the overseas company of CSCEC Eighth Bureau No.1 Company, who still marvels, "After completing this project, there's no way to 'duplicate' it." During the Indian Ocean Island Games, the venues had to function normally due to their significant political implications, leaving the Chinese side with only a 10-month construction period.
Sun Song told a Hong Kong Wen Wei Po reporter that considering the tight schedule, the project used the company's expertise in all-steel structures. Mauritius has zero steel structure production, and the project required more than 1,000 tons of steel structures, from raw material production to design and manufacturing, all came from China. During this period, there were transitions from British to Chinese steel standards, and the project team negotiated multiple times with foreign designers and led the client team to visit steel structure processing plants in China, finally passing calculations and verifications. While ensuring the project's construction quality and effect, they replaced everything with Chinese national standard steel, significantly saving construction time and costs.
The Mauritian owners, supervision team, local engineers, and overseas design teams gradually adapted to the Chinese team's "race against time" pace. "If they couldn't resonate with the 'China Speed,' the project definitely couldn't have been completed on schedule," Sun Song said. In fact, everyone together created this architectural miracle.
Local Employees: Proud of Participating in the Construction
On July 15, 2019, a grand completion ceremony was held for the Saint Pierre Cote d'Or Sports Complex. Four days later, the 10th Indian Ocean Island Games officially began, gathering 2,000 athletes from 7 Indian Ocean countries including Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, and Madagascar. The sports events included more than 20 sports such as athletics, badminton, and swimming. The aesthetically pleasing and modernized sports venues left a deep impression on the athletes. Mauritian swimmer Sultan Beharry recalled in an interview that he and his teammates used to swim in small rivers and compete in rudimentary docks. Now, Mauritius has its first international-standard swimming pool, and being a witness to these changes, his excitement is palpable.
"The Sports Complex project is engraved in my heart, and I feel very proud to have participated in this masterpiece. When it was completed, I was overwhelmed with happiness, satisfaction, and confidence." Anisha, who was fully involved in the project, bore witness to the architectural miracle created by 'China Speed.' Anisha recalled how local residents sang and danced, cheered, and whistled, celebrating in Mauritian style. Brightly colored national costumes, cheerful dances, and smiling faces were captured on camera by project employee Ma Guochao, moments that remain unforgettable to him.
Project Completion Promotes National Sports Development
On the FIFA standard football field, the Mauritian national junior football team was undergoing their routine training. At the end of 2019, Meng Xiangrui also watched a concert here. The concert was lively and enthusiastic, with thousands of people fully immersed, leaving a lasting impression on Meng Xiangrui.
After the project was completed, Meng Xiangrui continued to stay in Mauritius, responsible for the maintenance of the completed project and local client relations. "The swimming hall is used most frequently, with coaches teaching swimming lessons, and many citizens swimming here." Meng Xiangrui told Hong Kong Wen Wei Po reporters that the swimming hall is open to the public, and some small swimming competitions are held almost weekly.
"We are very grateful to the Chinese government for the strong support and assistance provided in the Sports Complex project. The general contractor, China State Construction, overcame many difficulties and challenges to complete the project at a high quality in a short time, showcasing the true 'China Speed' and 'China Quality' to the people of Mauritius," said Mauritian Prime Minister Jugnauth at the project's completion ceremony. The project's completion will promote the national sports development, enhance the country's ability to host large sports events, and create an environment of fitness for all.