China Launched a "Smooth Traffic Project" Saturday in 36 major cities and some medium-sized and smaller cities in a bid to create a better traffic environment forthe country's economic progress and quality of life

The project, initiated by the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Construction, is aimed at tackling the overburdened traffic systems in cities through joint efforts.

Jia Chunwang, minister of Public Security, Beijing Mayor Liu Qi,and Zheng Yijun, vice minister of Construction, attended a ceremony today in Beijing to kick-off the project.

China now has 53 million motor vehicles, and the figure is increasing at an average increase of 18 percent a year, while the length of the country's roads are increasing by only 8.78 percent a year.

It has been reported that China has fewer than one million parking spaces, or one parking space for every 50 vehicles. At the same time, drivers in big cities often complain about traffic jams, speed limits, and the difficulty of parking their cars.

Beijing alone has 1.4 million motor vehicles, according to Ma Zhenchuan, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau.

China is now hard at work ensuring that its national roads and expressways, and its urban traffic remain in good order in anticipation of a new round of economic growth which requires higher goals for traffic management.

Traffic departments at all levels have been urged to improve their professional skills and adhere to the principle of "improving capabilities through science and technology."