To boost trade, China will build twelve new highways in northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to connect Central Asian cities.

Xinjiang's transport administration revealed on Thursday that the planned roads will connect China with Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan.

The longest one will stretch 1,680 kilometers from Urumqi, capital of the autonomous region, to Tashkent, capital of Uzberkistan, Iran's Mashhad, Turkey's Istanbul and finally reach Europe.

The road will be completed before 2010, said the administration.

Xinjiang shares a border with eight countries in central and west Asia and has 17 major transport hubs.

(Xinhua News Agency April 6, 2007)