Guizhou, an agricultural province in southwest China, has
mapped out a blueprint for this year that stresses rural highway
construction as a means to boost rural economic development.
By the end of 2006, the province will have invested 2.3 billion
Yuan (about US$287.5 million) in road construction projects in its
rural areas.
According to the Guizhou provincial government, the money will
be used to build blacktop roads linking 65.7 percent of townships
across the province, totaling 2,307 kilometers.
Meanwhile, Guizhou will carry out 970 road construction projects
in remote mountainous areas, providing 1,000 economically backward
villages access to the outside world.
During the last four years in the country's 11th-Five-Year
Program (2006-2010) for National Economic and Social Development,
Guizhou will invest a total of 9 billion yuan (US$1.1 billion) to
build more than 10,000 kilometers of blacktop roads and 30,000
kilometers of back roads linking 90 percent of townships and 95
percent of villages.
China is making efforts to accelerate rural reform and
governments at all levels are working hard to improve agricultural
infrastructure, such as road construction, telecommunications and
electricity networks in rural areas.
(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2006)
