HANOI -- A China-Australia joint venture will build a 3.4-kilometer highway in Vietnam's northern Quang Ninh province in a 12-month period, approved by the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province on Thursday.

The highway, served as a pathway for Bac Luan II bridge in Quang Ninh province, will be constructed by two Chinese and an Australian companies under Build-Transfer (BT) contract with investment of 930.2 billion Vietnamese dong ($43.57 million).

The highway will be a four-lane one, with width of 45.5 meters and designed speed of 80 km per hour, Vietnam's state-run radio VOV quoted the decision as saying on Thursday.

The project is scheduled to kick off on March 15, reported Bao Quang Ninh (Quang Ninh News), an official online newspaper of the Quang Ninh provincial people's committee, adding that once completed, the pathway for Bac Luan II bridge will help boost trade, tourism exchange between Vietnam's Quang Ninh province and China's Guangxi.