Venezuelan railway project with Chinese technology inaugurated

Source: Xinhua | 03-23-2009 12:13

CARACAS, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday inaugurated a railway construction project in central Venezuela that will be built with Chinese technology and funding.

Chavez inaugurated the construction work of the Llanos railway during his Sunday TV-radio program "Alo, Presidente."

He said the project was financed by the Chinese-Venezuelan Strategic Fund, which was created on May 2008 to finance projects in energy, agriculture, transport sectors.

The cost of the project will surpass 800 million U.S. dollars, the president said.

The railway of around 470 km long, will connect the towns of Tinaco, El Pao, Ortiz, Chaguaramas and Valle de la Pascua with the state of Anzoategui, northeast Venezuela.

Constructed by Chinese and Italian companies, the railway line is part of the national railway system, which includes 15 lines totaling 13,600 km long.