Shanghai Starts to Build Satellite CitiesThe municipal government of Shanghai, China's commercial and financial center, has worked out a plan to soon start construction of its satellite cities in the suburban area to meet the increasing need for urban expansion.According to Vice Mayor Chen Liangyu, Shanghai will build 11 satellite cities and 22 satellite towns in the next 20 years, following a careful plan to avoid reckless growth. Construction of the first satellite city in northwest Shanghai has started, according to Chen. The first satellite city, located in Songjiang, will be built into a cultural and tourist resort with a total area of 60 square kilometers and a population of 500,000. Companies from Britain, France, Italy and other countries have participated in the design of the city, which is expected to be free of problems plaguing Shanghai currently, such as parking and transportation difficulties. Also, the new city will have a good ecological environment and convenient service facilities including advanced telecom networks. |
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