08-01-2007 Xinjiang
Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China, will see 657 km of new highways during
the 11th five year plan period (2006-2010), local sources said. Construction
has started on two highways that will be included in the east-west trunk road,
which starts from Lianyungang, a port city on China's east coast, and ends at
Horgos, a customs post on the border with Kazakhstan, according to the regional
bureau of communications. The
costs of the two highways, totaling 307 km, will be shared by the central government
and Xinjiang autonomous regional government. They
will cover the Xingxingxia-Turpan and Sayram Lake-Horgos sections of the Lianyungang-Horgos
highway. Other
new highways will include the link between Korla and Kuqa, both in the northern
Tarim Basin, southern Xinjiang, and the expressway between the Qingshui River
and Yining, a city near Kazakhstan border. Xinjiang,
which covers a sixth of China, is the largest Chinese region in terms of landmass
and is known for its unique landscapes. However,
due to a lack of highways, travel in this remote region is difficult. The construction
is expect to open up Xinjiang's hinterlands. The
region already has 541 km of highways, according to the regional bureau of communications.
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