The Tibet Autonomous Region, southwest China, plans to spend more than 20 billion yuan (US$ 2.4 billion) on highway construction over the next five years.
According to sources with the regional communications bureau, the money will be used mainly in the construction of 103 highway projects.
As a result, the total length of Tibet's highways is expected to reach 30,000 kilometers by 2005.
Under-developed roading is one of the major factors that impedelocal economic development. With the support of the state, Tibet has made marked progress in highway construction since its peaceful liberation 50 years ago.
Statistics show that in the last five years, Tibet has spent more than 4 billion yuan (US$ 481 million) in highway construction.
At present, the total length of highway in the region open to traffic is 25,300 kilometers and more than 80 percent of Tibet's townships and nearly 70 percent of its administrative villages have access to highways.
(Xinhua News Agency 10/31/2001)
