An artist’s impression of the construction project being undertaken by Si Jian Construction Group Co in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia [Photo/ntjoy.com]

The Nantong-based Si Jian Construction Group Co (NTSJ) is currently undertaking the largest construction project in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

The luxurious apartment project involves eight 12-floor residential buildings and four villas in Coral Bay with a total floor area of 180,000 square meters.

According to Zhang Jianzhong, deputy general manager of NTSJ, it will take around 38 months to complete and cost 945 million yuan ($134.47 million). 

Construction started in October 2018 and the company has grappled with a number of initial issues, including a variety of cultural backgrounds, language problems, and unfavorable weather conditions.

NTSJ is quickly expanding its overseas markets and has seized opportunities brought about by the Belt and Road initiative

The company also won its bid to build the second section of the University of Bamako in Kabala Area early this year.

The project is being supervised by China’s Ministry of Commerce and has a contract value of 259 million yuan.

Tongzhou district, Nantong is home to a number of companies that engage in the construction of buildings, docks, roads, and other forms of infrastructure in Japan, Russia, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

In the first quarter of 2019, the district signed $11.23 million in labor-export contracts, representing a year-on-year growth of 180.75 percent.