In order to get more people out of their cars and under ground, the municipal government has approved additions to the metropolis' metro network, which will eventually consist of four subway lines, Lin said.

The city had already committed to two lines before this year. Metro Line One began operation last year, and Metro Line Two is scheduled to start construction early next year. Design and approval of the city's third and fourth subway lines have just been completed and Lin says construction will begin shortly.

The four-line network will encompass a total length of 129.4 km once all the lines are completed.

Construction on Line Three is expected to begin next year.

The 32.4-km line will start at the Guangzhou Tianhe Railway Station in Tianhe District and cross the Pearl River to the city's newly established Panyu District, formerly the suburban city of Panyu, at the mouth of the Pearl River.

Operation of Line Three will benefit more than 100,000 residents living along the line.

Line Four will start at Guangzhou's Scientific City in the Tianhe District and end in Pazhou in Haizhu District in the southern part of the city.

An above-ground light rail system is also being planned to link the Guangzhou Tianhe Railway Station to the new Guangzhou International Airport.

The 35.3-km Airport Express will be the city's first light rail line.

(China Daily 12/07/2000)