Construction will begin this year of a new railway in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to expand the nation's transportation network in Central Asia.

At a total cost of 6.2 billion yuan (US$747 million), the Jinghe-Ili-Horgos Railway will run 296 kilometers through the Bortala and Ili autonomous prefectures, which are both situated in the western part of Xinjiang near its border with Kazakhstan.

A feasibility study for the railroad's construction, which was jointly conducted by the State Development and Reform Commission (SDRC), the Ministry of Railways and the local government, was completed at the end of July. The entire project is expected to be finished in 2008.

The new line will tighten economic ties between Xinjiang and other parts of China, while also facilitating transportation between China and central Asia. Moreover, as a part of the Asia-Europe Continental Bridge, it will strengthen links between China's east coast and Europe.

The 10,000-kilometer Asia-Europe Continental Bridge, known as a new Silk Road, starts from east China's Lianyungang port, and goes west to Uzbekistan via Kashi City in Xinjiang to join the railway network in central and southern Europe.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2004)