Guizhou, an agricultural province in southwest China, has mapped out a blueprint for this year that stresses rural highway construction as a means to boost rural economic development.

By the end of 2006, the province will have invested 2.3 billion Yuan (about US$287.5 million) in road construction projects in its rural areas.

According to the Guizhou provincial government, the money will be used to build blacktop roads linking 65.7 percent of townships across the province, totaling 2,307 kilometers.

Meanwhile, Guizhou will carry out 970 road construction projects in remote mountainous areas, providing 1,000 economically backward villages access to the outside world.

During the last four years in the country's 11th-Five-Year Program (2006-2010) for National Economic and Social Development, Guizhou will invest a total of 9 billion yuan (US$1.1 billion) to build more than 10,000 kilometers of blacktop roads and 30,000 kilometers of back roads linking 90 percent of townships and 95 percent of villages.

China is making efforts to accelerate rural reform and governments at all levels are working hard to improve agricultural infrastructure, such as road construction, telecommunications and electricity networks in rural areas.

(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2006)