The Asian Development Bank has approved a loan of US$500 million for China's east-west railway projects. 
 
The project will include nearly 380 kilometers of electrified single-track railway between Yichang in central China's Hubei Province and Wanzhou in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

The railway will shorten various routes across the north-south and east-west axes of the country.

The total cost of the project is expected to be more than  US$2.3 billion and the project is due for completion at the end of 2009.

(CRI December 16, 2003)