Li Zibin, deputy director of the Office of the Leading Group for Western Region Development of the State Council made the remarks at a press conference here Thursday.

He said key projects in the western region have been further strengthened. In the first half of this year, the west-to-east electricity transmission project newly installed 600,000 kw of power-generating capacity and increased 2,400 kilometers of transmission lines. The pipeline for transmitting natural gas from the west to the east was completed ahead of schedule. Highways open to traffic were extended by about 6,000 kilometers. Nearly 60 percent of investment of the key water control projects were completed.

He said by the end of August, the main track of the Qinghai- Tibet Railway had been extended by 232.6 kilometers this year.