August 1, 2007 -- The western development bureau affiliated to the state council released a list of 10 major projects to launch this year, the total investment is 151.6 billion yuan (US$20 billion), announced the government's official site on July 30.

The 10 projects are as follows:

- New railways linking Dali to Ruili; and Kuitun to Beitun in Yunnan Province are to be built.

- Railways linking Baotou to Xi'an, and Xining to Ge'ermu are to be reconstructed.

- Highways between Tianshui and Dingxi, Duyun and Xinzhai are to built.

- Kunming airport is to be relocated.

- Branch airports in western China are to be constructed.

- Hydropower stations in Dagang Mountain and Shi Gorge hydropower station are be built.

- A purified terephthalic acid project, the chemical used to make polyester, (0.6 million ton) made by Chongqing Pengwei Ltd is to be set up.

- A 10 million-ton oil refining project in Guangxi and Sichuan Province is be constructed.

- The Huangyuchuan coal mine and Suanci Ditch's 10 million ton coal project in Inner Mongolia.

- Other projects dealing with education, health and other social projects.

By the end of last year, the government had already invested 1152.6 billion yuan (US$152 billion) in developing western China.