Construction on a forest park project funded by a South African businessman began Sunday in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

This is the first project on China's mainland to be funded by Leisure Retail Property Solutions Ltd, run by businessman Martin Wragge from South Africa.

With a total investment of 4.5 billion yuan (US$544 million), the 400-hectare Yinchuan City Forest Park is expected to be completed in eight years.

Located at the juncture between old and new urban areas of Yinchuan, the forest park is also expected to boost construction and development in the new urban area and improve the investment environment in the city.

The project consists of a north park, a south park and a downtown forest park.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2003)