Public Transportation System a Must

2005/10/31

Chinese and foreign officials called for improvements to China's public transportation system at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit (APCS) which opened on October 12 in 2005.

Australian former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer suggested that China build more subways for public transportation to save energy and alleviate traffic jams in megacities.

Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng said that that Chinese economic centre would give priority to building an urban railway system, "a convenient public transportation system will require 0.3 square metres of land per capita, but it will be 8 square metres if we depend on private cars."

As its economy grows, Chinese cities are facing serious traffic problems. The nation has about 24 million cars and half of them are privately owned. Most of the cars are jammed together in megacities which are handicapped by poor roads and inadequate transportation management



	Article featured in Business Beijing, October 2005 Publication sponsored by Information Office of the Beijing Municipal Government, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Development & Reform Commission of Beijing Municipality, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (Beijing Sub-Council)