Tianjin Municipality in north China now leads the country in terms of expressway density, with six expressways totaling 305 km in length at a density of 2.56 km per 100 square km.

Tianjin is the biggest port city in north China. In recent years, the local government has made highway construction a priority, investing six billion yuan (US$723 million) annually in this field.

Its efforts have paid off with a complex expressway network linking Tianjin to almost all its neighboring cities. Convenient transportation has become a driving force in the city's rapid economic development, with annual growth rate averaging 12 percent during the past decade.

Expressway construction has also stimulated employment. According to experts, every 100 million yuan invested in expressways can create 2,000 jobs and bring 300 million yuan into the community.

China now has altogether 19,000 km of expressways, ranking second in the world.

( eastday.com September 5, 2002)