Beijing will put in 4 billion yuan (US$ 500 million) to enhance the public transportation, mayor Wang Qishan said in Hong Kong Wednesday.

Speaking at the opening of the tenth Beijing-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium, Wang described traffic as a crucial area for which he wanted to draw experience from Hong Kong.

The number of private vehicles in Beijing has amounted to 2.82 million, five times that of Hong Kong, he said, adding that before the completion of 115 kilometers of rail lines by 2009 to double its rail transport capability, the city sees the public transportation as a major priority.

(China Daily November 16, 2006)