Infrastructure

Beijing is the transportation hub of China. It has the best developed railway system in the country with direct railway services to all provincial capital cities. Since the Beijing West Railway Station began operating in January 1996, Beijing has had a total of four freight terminals and two passenger terminals. The road network has greatly improved in recent years and with the completion of the Beijing-Tianjin-Tangu Expressway, the ports in Tianjin can be reached from Beijing in two hours while the Beijing Capital International Airport is one of the largest in the country, providing access to over 60 domestic cities and about 40 international destinations. The municipality also has a state-of -theart telecommunication system. Beijing has successfully bid for the right to host the 2008 Olympic Games. To prepare for the Games, the Chinese government will invest over RMB 180 billion over the next five years in improving the city's infrastructure.