Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said on Friday that the construction of the bridge connecting Hong Kong, Macao, and Zhuhai will start before the end of this year.

Wen made the remarks at a press conference after the closing ceremony of the annual session of the National People's Congress, the top legislative body.

"I want to make it here clear that the financing problem legging the Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao bridge project has already been resolved," said Wen.

Preparations are now being made very intensively and the construction will start before the end of this year, said Wen.

The bridge, with an estimated investment of 72.6 billion yuan (10.6 billion U.S. dollars) will serve as an important channel linking Hong Kong, Macao, Zhuhai and the west part of the Pearl River Delta, one of the most economically-developed area in the Chinese mainland.

Wen said that the central government will work to accelerate the development of infrastructure projects integrating the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao.

(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2009)