Saturday, November 18, 2000, updated at 22:16(GMT+8)
China
China to Build Another Railway in Western Region
Construction will begin on a railway linking Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, with Huaihua City in Hunan Province, central China, by the end of this year.
The Ministry of Railways approved the design of the project on November 18, which is one of the ten major projects for the country's strategy of developing western regions.
The 624-km-long railway will be a state trunk line. After its completion, the railway distance from southwest China to east and south China will be shortened by 270 km and 550 km, respectively.
The project will take five years to complete and will be put into operation by June 2005.
Construction will begin on a railway linking Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, with Huaihua City in Hunan Province, central China, by the end of this year.