The first of many steel beams was put in place to connect the twin towers of the new China Central Television (CCTV) building in downtown Beijing on November 28, 2007. (Photo: People's Daily)

(Photo: cnsphoto)

(Photo: China.com.cn)

On Wednesday morning the first of many steel beams was put in place to connect the twin towers of the new China Central Television (CCTV) building in downtown Beijing, locally-based Legal Mirror reported.

The divide, 180 meters high, perches at the upper half of the whole building, which consists of two leaning towers 230 meters high.

The unique building was designed by Ole Scheeren, a young German architect, who is also said to be the boyfriend of Hong Kong film star Maggie Cheung. Ole is also boss of OMA, a famous Netherlands' architecture company.

Covering an area of 550,000 square meters, the building is now under construction near Guomao Bridge along the Third Ring Road in eastern Beijing, and is expected to be completed in 2009.

Earlier reports announced that the construction would cost 5 billion yuan, or about 677 million US dollars in total.

(CRI November 30, 2007)