0

June 9, 2007 -- Chongqing announced plans to invest over over 226.5 billion yuan (US$29 billion) to improve the transportation network of western China, the state-owned Chongqing News reported. The infrastructure network would help the municipality become the center of economic growth for western China, and it would lay the foundation to establish Chongqing as the economic center in the areas of the upper Yangtze River, officials said.

According to the newspaper, officials plan to construct nine railway lines running through Chongqing and three circle expressways that cover the whole municipality. The officials announced plans to improve the importance of the Chongqing International Airport in the Asia-Pacific region. Plans include an increase in water navigation of the Yangtze River in the Chongqing section with reservation of more water in the Three Gorges River, the newspaper reported.