Santiago (People's Daily) - Under the sunlit skies of Chile's Maule Region, rows of grapevines and fruit trees stretch across the landscape. A 20-minute drive from the Talca-Chillan section of Chile's Highway Route 5, known as the "Tachi Section," leads to the Rodriguez family orchard in the Chilean Central Valley—a quintessential Chilean family farm.

A truck passes through a toll gate in Talca on the Talca-Chillan section of Chile's Highway Route 5. (Photo by Luiz Branco)

"Welcome!" greets Pablo Rodriguez, the farm's general manager, clad in jeans and a straw hat.

"Our farm used to grow corn and tomatoes. In 2012, we shifted to higher-value crops like cherries, grapes and watermelons. In 2014, we began exporting cherries to China. Today, all our cherries go to China, and a significant portion of our wine follows the same path," Rodriguez shares.

During harvest season, the orchard is abuzz with activity with up to 500 seasonal workers.

"It feels like a festival," he says with a hint of pride.

"Cherries are moved from trees to cold storage in three hours to preserve their quality for Chinese consumers," Rodriguez explains to People's Daily, adding that timely delivery to ports before shipping is critical, which relies on fast, efficient logistics.

"Since Chinese companies took over and upgraded Route 5, our cherries reach China faster and safer. Everyone says our Chinese friends built us a sweet road to prosperity," he says.

Route 5 is a vital transportation artery linking Chile’s northern and southern parts. The Tachi Section, a 195-kilometer stretch of the route, traverses Maule, Chile's primary cherry-producing region, earning it the nickname "Cherry Highway.” It is one of Chile's busiest corridors on the Pan-American Highway.

China Railway Construction Corporation (International) Limited (CRCCI) funds, constructs and operates Route 5. Since acquiring the concession in 2021, the CRCCI has implemented comprehensive upgrades and smart management systems, including 30 kilometers of road widening, 54 kilometers of bypass road construction and 13 electronic toll collection systems.

In 2022, the project pioneered radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for automatic toll deductions in Chile. Additionally, the Chillan-Collipulli section was launched in 2023 as the southern extension of the Tachi Section, involving the renovation of 166 kilometers of existing roads and the construction of 6.6 kilometers of new branch lines, totaling 172.6 kilometers in length.

Once completed, the project will ease traffic in southern cities, enhance north-south connectivity and boost regional industries.

Ivan Marambio, president of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association, noted that the Tachi Section links farmers, logistics providers, ports and global markets, calling it a vital artery for Chilean produce to reach Asia. He added that the upgrades have slashed delivery times, increased export profits for farmers and created jobs.

Juan Alvarez, a truck driver shuttling between Talca and Collipulli, told People's Daily, "Thanks to CRCCI's contactless toll system, traffic jams have eased. A round trip now takes just over two hours, allowing me to make two daily round trips. My income has grown significantly."

Moreover, improved infrastructure has spurred new opportunities in delivery services, e-commerce and supply chains, enhancing local livelihoods.

Fernando Reyes Matta, director of the Latin American Centre for China Studies at Andrés Bello University (UNAB) and a former Chilean Ambassador to China, highlighted that Chile, the first Latin American country to sign a free trade agreement with China, has seen soaring agricultural exports to China in recent years, with Chilean cherries becoming a "winter staple" on Chinese tables.

Behind this "sweet trade" lies infrastructure improvements like Route 5. Enhanced connectivity is a solid foundation for cooperation between China and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries. The construction of roads, bridges, schools, ports and power plants has created jobs and energized regional economic development.

Like the sun-drenched orchards at the foot of the Andes, China-LAC collaboration continues to bear fruit, promising a future abundant with shared prosperity.