China started the second phase of construction of its National Library in Beijing Tuesday, which will make the library the third largest in the world with a total floor space of 250,000 square meters.

The phase-two project on the north of the existing library involves a total investment of 1.24 billion yuan (US$150 million) from the state. It will have eight stories above the ground and three underground, with a total area of 79, 899 square meters.

The project will increase the library's accommodation capacity by 8,000 people a day, according to Ren Jiyu, curator of the National Library.

A national digital library also started building on the same day. As China's first national digital library, it intends to allow instant access from anywhere at anytime through the Internet.

The first phase of the National Library building was completed in 1987. The second phase is expected to end by 2007 and open to the public in October that year. 

(Xinhua News Agency December 28, 2004)