Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China, will see 657 km of new highways during the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-2010), local sources said.

Construction has started on two highways that will be included in the east-west trunk road, which starts from Lianyungang, a port city on China's east coast, and ends at Horgos, a customs post on the border with Kazakhstan, according to the regional bureau of communications.

The costs of the two highways, totaling 307 km, will be shared by the central government and Xinjiang autonomous regional government.

They will cover the Xingxingxia-Turpan and Sayram Lake-Horgos sections of the Lianyungang-Horgos highway.

Other new highways will include the link between Korla and Kuqa, both in the northern Tarim Basin, southern Xinjiang, and the expressway between the Qingshui River and Yining, a city near Kazakhstan border.

Xinjiang, which covers a sixth of China, is the largest Chinese region in terms of landmass and is known for its unique landscapes.

However, due to a lack of highways, travel in this remote region is difficult. The construction is expect to open up Xinjiang's hinterlands.

The region already has 541 km of highways, according to the regional bureau of communications.

(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2007)