In 2007 a total of 300,000 kilometers of rural road in China will be built and upgraded to improve local transport, according to the communications authority.

 

A significant number of ferries and bridges will also be upgraded to better protect local areas from natural disasters, according to the Communications Minister Li Shenglin.

 

The Ministry of Communications will continue to invest heavily in extending roads particularly in the west and central regions and improve the efficiency of how funds are used, he said.

 

About 260,000 kilometers of roads have recently been built or upgraded in rural areas. This has dramatically improved local transport for 30 million people living in 30,000 villages, according to the ministry.

 

Last year 8,711 bus stations were added in rural areas. These offer millions of residents in approximately 20,000 villages access to public bus services.

 

 

 

 

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2007)