These days people say build more roads if one wants to get rich.

The inland, slowly-developing Shaanxi Province in China's northwest certainly understands the message as it focuses on building better infrastructure with more roads, rails and airways.

Director of Shaanxi Provincial Development and Reform Commission Li Xiaodong says Shaanxi will invest 50 billion yuan (US$6.024 billion) in 10 key railway projects.

"Between 2004 and 2010, the province plans to newly build 2,200 kilometers of railways, expanding the total mileage to 4,225 kilometers, which will make it easier for Shaanxi to keep in touch with cities in other provinces," Li said.

With the construction of a series of multi-purpose projects, Xi'an is to be built into one of six major railway pivots in the country, and one of 18 container central stations in China, the director said.

Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, was the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, which linked Xi'an with Central Asia and Europe and significantly promoted development in ancient China.

Late last month, an international conference for rebuilding the ancient Silk Road was held in Xi'an, and ministers of communications from 12 countries, including China, the Republic of Korea and some Central Asian countries discussed regional co-operation and development, hoping to enhance their exchanges and promote economic development with the project.

"This is another chance for Shaanxi to speed up its economic development," said Chen Deming, the acting governor.

Between 2005 and 2010, Shaanxi will focus on building arterial highways and rural roads, said Wu Xiaojian, director of the Shaanxi Provincial Communications Bureau.

"From January to September, Shaanxi completed 12.74 billion yuan (US$1.54 billion) of road-building, coming first out of the 10 western provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions," Wu said.

In the next five years, Shaanxi will optimize its transport structure and set up a fast passenger-cargo transport network which will allow passengers and cargo to get to destinations on the same day within a distance of 800 kilometers, the communications director said.

Earlier this year, a new passenger building went into operation in Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, and a new plan for further development there has been mapped out.

Xi'an Xianyang International Airport is expected to handle more than 5 million passengers this year, a figure that will double by 2010 and more than treble to 31 million by 2030.

The implementation of the strategic west development has significantly improved Shaanxi's infrastructure, encouraged the local government to improve its service, enhance environment protection, optimize the economic structure and accelerate the market-oriented process, Chen said.

(China Daily November 19, 2004)