SOUTHWEST China’s Guangxi Autonomous Region government plans to invest CNY260 billion(US437.26billion)on air,water,rail and road traffic infrastructure over five years in a bid to develop itself into a regional traffic hub between China and Asean countries,Xinhua reported.

GuangXi Governor Ma Biao said by 2010 the region will have built up a main frame of air ,land and water integrated traffic network connecting its neighbouring provinces and Asean countries.

On railway,Guangxi will invest CNY115 billion on building up a number of new lines covering a total distance of 1,450 kilometres,including from Nanning toGuangzhou and from Liuzhou to Nanning.

On road infrastructure, Guangxi plans to invest over CNY120 billion to form a network of 14 expressways covering its neighbouring provinces and countries.

On water transportation,the region is to spend about CNY23billion adding another 100 million tones to its port capacity to 220 million tones.

On air transportation,the government will spend CNY3.5billion on developing a air network covering major cities in the Asean countries,Japan Korea,Europe and US.

Mr Ma said after the network has been built,it only takes three hours to get to Guangzhou from Nanning,four hours to Kunming and Changsha,and four and a half hours to Guiyang by rail. If by expressway,it only takes three hours to travel from Nangning to Hanoi, six hours to Guangzhou,seven to eight hours to Kunming and Guiyang.

Located on the jojnt of the South China  Economic Rim , Southwest China Economic Rim and Asean Economic Rim, Guangxi is said to be the most convenient transport hub in southwest China.