The government of Guangzhou City will tackle its traffic problem by building an effective transport network instead of imposing restrictions on private car ownership, Major Zhang Guangning said Monday. 
 
Approximately 15,000 new car owners apply for license plates each month in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province in south China, and the figure is about to grow, said Zhang. The number of cars sold in Guangdong accounts for about 30 percent of the nation's total.

Zhang said the government would not limit Guangzhou people's aspirations to own cars; instead, more favorable policies will be enacted to encourage car purchases.

Meanwhile, the traffic problem is becoming worse, due to the rising influx of automobiles, and the government will exert more efforts to build roads and subways, and strengthen transportation management, said the mayor.

The restriction on motorcycles will remain and car gas emission control will be intensified in Guangzhou city, according to him.

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2003)