Restaurant tells tale of China's green efforts

ALGIERS — Nestled 60 kilometers south of Algeria's capital Algiers, the renowned Monkey Creek restaurant in Chiffa Gorge boasts a century-long history. A photo wall inside features famous personalities, including Napoleon III, Prince Philip and former Algerian leaders who visited the site. However, the restaurant's centerpiece is a Chinese sign that reads "Huan Ying Guang Lin", or "welcome" in Chinese.

Owner Embarek Nadjem said the restaurant, which was established in 1850, derives its name from the adjacent creek and Barbary macaques that inhabit the area. Originally a post house for Atlas Mountains travelers, it evolved into a tourist hot spot after Algeria's independence in 1962. Nadjem said around 5,000 visitors frequent the establishment daily during weekends and summer vacations.

But more than a decade ago, the restaurant faced possible demolition due to the construction of the North-South Highway meant to replace the original national highway, which was unable to meet the growing demand for transport. The initial design proposed by a Spanish team involved demolishing the restaurant, destroying a large amount of vegetation, and affecting the habitat of Barbary macaques, which were declared endangered in 2008 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

However, it was only after the team from China State Construction Engineering Corporation, or CSCEC, responsible for the project's construction, persuaded Algeria's National Highway Agency to modify the design, that the restaurant eventually emerged unscathed.

The CSCEC team proposed building a longer tunnel to cross the Atlas Mountains from the western side of the restaurant. The adjustment, though challenging, aimed to preserve the wildlife and environment as well as safeguard historical sites.

Tan Xiaozu, general manager of the 53-km-long Chiffa section of the North-South Highway project, said the modification involved routing the tunnel through a significantly larger and more intricate geological formation.

Despite the challenges, the section opened in late 2020, reducing travel time across the Atlas Mountains by 60 percent. Then-Algerian prime minister Abdelaziz Djerad hailed the project as "of great strategic significance to the nation".

A resident who only gave his name as Mohammed lives in Blida city, which is about 15 km away from the restaurant, and has a long-standing connection with the establishment. He fondly recounted how his parents used to bring him here as a child.

The Chinese sign "Huan Ying Guang Lin" now adorns the restaurant, serving as a commemoration of Sino-Algerian friendship and a tale of environmental preservation. "It signifies a successful partnership and a commitment to preserving our shared heritage," Nadjem said.

Xinhua