Beijing to Invest Heavily in Infrastructure ConstructionBeijing will invest 180 billion yuan (US$21.68 billion) in the construction of local infrastructure facilities in the next five years, Beijing mayor Liu Qi said here Sunday.Major investment will be allocated to the construction of traffic facilities and energy resource projects, remarked Liu at the on-going 4th Session of the 11th Beijing Municipal People's Congress. The traffic facilities will include a group of urban light railways, subways and highways, and energy resources projects will include the second Shaanxi-Beijing gas transmission line, the Inner Mongolia-Beijing high voltage electricity transmission route and a thermal power plant in suburban Beijing. Liu said that during the 2001-2005 period, Beijing will work harder to improve urban construction, protect relics and enhance environmental construction. According to a plan, Beijing will pour 45 billion yuan (US$5.4 billion) to protect the local environment. By 2005, the rate of areas covered by grass and trees is expected to reach 48 percent in the Municipality. |
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