The National Development and Reform Commission announced Sunday that the State would spend more than 100 billion yuan (US$12 billion) to improve country roads.

The reconstruction will start in 2006 and end in 2010, as part of the nation's 11th five-year plan.

According to the commission, all villages in East and Central China will have bitumen roads by 2010, and all towns in West China will have bitumen roads by the time.

The commission also required local governments to collect basic information of the condition of country roads and submit plans for reconstruction.

A spokesman for the State Development and Reform Commission said transportation problems in rural areas were hampering their development.

(Shenzhen Daily March 29, 2005)