Cambodia has officially opened its first expressway. The project was led by China, the country's largest foreign investor.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attended a ceremony in Phnom Penh on Wednesday. The event came just ahead of a series of summit meetings in Cambodia related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The 190-kilometer expressway connects the capital and the southern port city of Shihanoukville. China funded about 2 billion dollars of its construction, as part of Beijing's Belt and Road initiative to create an economic bloc.

Many other China-led projects are underway in Cambodia, which has seen rapid economic growth. The development underscores China's growing presence in the country, as well as the close relationship between the two nations.