Expressways speed up Hunan's economy

The first day of the Chinese new year of this year saw a huge upsurge in visitors to the former residence of Chairman Mao Zedong. Visitor's flocked to Shaoshan, Mao's home town and one of the most historic cities in the Hunan province, following the opening of a new direct expressway.

Yang Guang, secretary of the Shaoshan committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said: "Our city welcomed 228,700 tourists between the eve of the Spring Festival and the sixth day of the traditional Chinese new year. This is an increase of 298 percent year-on-year, hitting a record high in the city's history.

"With the new expressway opening at the end of last year, access to Shaoshan is now faster than ever. This, inevitably, has a huge appeal for tourists."