China's Highways to Total 1.6 Million KM by 2005The total length of China's highways open to traffic will be 1.6 million kilometers by 2005, according to the draft version of the outline of China's Tenth Five-Year Plan (2001-2005) submitted for approval at the Fourth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC), which opened Monday.Expressways will account for 25,000 kilometers of the total length, according to the draft outline, which stresses the construction of major national highways and eight new trunck highways in western China. The draft outline says that expanding the railway network in the western region, technological upgrading of existing railway lines and construction of several major railways, including the Qinghai-Tibet railroad and Beijing-Shanghai highspeed railway line, will be carried out in the next five years. The total length of China's railways reach 75,000 kilometers by 2005, says the draft outline. Besides, great efforts will be made to develop urban railway communication, construct infrastructure facilities at harbors, feeder line airports, and other transportation facilities, according to the draft outline. It says, reform of traffic management and operational systems, and regrouping of aviation enterprises will be speeded up. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |