The provincial bureau of communications announced the plans for the freeways, with a combined length of 535 km, will cover underdeveloped northern, eastern and western areas in the southern Chinese province.

Construction will start this year or next and will be finished in 2005 or 2006. The total cost of construction is set at 18.73 billion yuan (US$2.26 billion).

Five other freeways -- Guangzhou-Shaoguan, Guangzhou-Qingyuan, Zhaoqing-Yunfu, Shenzhen-Heyuan, Shenzhen-Meizhou -- are under construction in full swing, and two of the freeways will be ready for service next year.

Guangdong Province has benefited enormously from China's reform and opening-up drive. It is now one of the country's leading foreign trade players.

(Xinhua News Agency September 22, 2002)