Downer opens bridge in Vietnam

Downer opens bridge in Vietnam

HANOI (Reuters): Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer and Vietnam Prime Minister Phan Van Khai opened a bridge across a major branch of the Mekong River on Sunday, a project that is Canberra's largest ever single aid project.

Officials said the US$51 million My Thuan suspension bridge would bring substantial economic benefit to the Mekong Delta, Vietnam's food basket.

The bridge will cut hours off the traveling time to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's commercial hub, some 150 km to the northeast, by removing the need for a time-consuming ferry crossing.

Thousands of onlookers watched from the shores of the river or took to boats as the bridge was officially opened.