Stayed-Cable Bridge On China's Southern Border Opens To Traffic

　　The first stayed-cable bridge over the Lancang River on the upper reaches of the Mekong River in China's Yunnan Province opened to traffic on October 1 for the 50th anniversary ceremonies of new China.

　　The bridge is 107.5 meters high, 30 meters wide, and 600 meters long and cost 160 million yuan to build. It is in the city of Jinghong, the capital of the Yunnan's Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Xishuangbanna.

　　The bridge is the third of its kind in China and is part of the main section of a national highway that stretches to Burma.

　　Work on the bridge began in November 1995 on the site of a 30- year-old bridge which was considered dangerous.

　　The stayed-cable bridge will help the economic development of the border area and be important for the opening up of Southeast Asia, a prefectural government official said at the opening ceremony. (Xinhua)