China has so far injected nearly 80 billion US dollars into highway construction projects now underway throughout the country, Vice Minister of Communications Li Juchang said on November 17.

He said that in 1999 alone, the country has invested 180 billion yuan (some 22 billion US dollars) on highways, and more than 22,980 kilometers of trunk roads are being built.

By the end of this year, China's total length of highway open to traffic will reach 1.3 million kilometers, the official said, adding that this means more remote towns and villages will have access to better roads.

"All the projects are proceeding rapidly and we are also making great efforts to improve the quality of highway construction," he said.

Expressways are a major part of the current construction plan. By the end of 2010, seven expressways will run from the east to the west, and five expressways will link the country's south and north areas, he said.

So far, China has more than 10,000 kilometers of expressway that have opened to traffic, ranking the fourth in the world in terms of length. (Xinhua)