Chongqing is to spend Rmb300bn by 2012 on improving its transportation facilities, said Huang Qifan, executive vice-mayor of the municipality.

Some Rmb100bn will be used to improve its railways, river ports and Jiangbei International Airport. Another Rmb100bn will be channelled into building new inter-regional expressways, including those linking Chongqing with Hunan, Shanghai and Yibin and Luzhou in Sichuan province. By 2012, the total length of such inter-regional expressways in Chongqing will reach 2,100km.

The final tranche of Rmb100bn will be spent on improving the transportation system within the municipality. About 1,000km of expressways will be built connecting all districts and counties in Chongqing, while the light rail system will be extended to a total length of 116km.

Mr Huang said that travel to any place inside the city centre would take less than 30 minutes when the upgraded urban network is completed. He also said that the construction of high-speed railways will enable a four-hour trip to a number of cities such as Chengdu, Nanning and Guiyang in neighbouring provinces and regions by 2015.