(i) The French built canals and drained lands in the Mekong delta to increase cultivation. The vast system of irrigation works—canals and earthworks—built with forced labour, increased rice production and allowed the export of rice to the international market. (ii) Then they started infrastructure projects to help transport goods for trade, move military garrisons and control the entire region. (iii) Construction of a Trans-Indo-China rail network that would link the northern and southern parts of Vietnam and China was begun.