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BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping's just-concluded Latin American and European tour has strengthened bilateral ties, broadened consensus and boosted cooperation with these countries, a senior Chinese official said Monday.     Xi's two-week trip to Mexico, Jamaica, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Malta, as well as Fiji, where he made a transit stop, was pragmatic and fruitful, said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Jinzhang.     SIGNIFICANT VISIT WITH FAR-REACHING IMPACT     Xi's visit to Latin America was a major Chinese diplomatic move since President Hu Jintao's trip to the region last year, said Li.     Last November, Hu traveled to Latin America for a visit that produced a broad consensus on forming a partnership of all-round cooperation with the region on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and common development. Earlier, China issued its first policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean.     During his visit to the five Latin American nations, Xi further clarified China's policies on Latin America and stressed that China is ready to join hands with Latin American nations to further enhance cooperation and elevate China-Latin America relations to a new high, Li said.     In a speech at a seminar attended by Chinese and Venezuelan entrepreneurs, Xi raised a five-point proposal on strengthening the all-round cooperation for common development between China and Latin American nations amid the current global economic landscape.     Li described Xi's visit to Latin America as a follow-up action to push forward China's relations with the region.     The Chinese vice president's visit came before the Group of 20 summit scheduled for April in London to address the ongoing global financial crisis, Li noted.     During the trip, Xi called for a long-term perspective in planning and confidence building and urged a combination of promoting bilateral cooperation and ensuring the steady and sustained growth of China's economy. As a result, the visit has yielded remarkable results and a far-reaching political impact, Linoted.     Xi's visit highlighted China's efforts to work with these countries to tackle the financial downturn and turn the crisis into an opportunity, Li said.     Xi's trip brought him to mostly developing countries. During his visit, Xi stressed the need for developing countries to work together in tiding over the financial crisis, he said.     Xi and leaders of these countries reached broad consensus on joint efforts to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals, tackle the challenges and seek common development, he added.     During Xi's visit, the governments and enterprises from these countries voiced their willingness to cooperate with China and welcomed China to trade with and invest in their countries and join them in exploitation of energy and natural resources and infrastructure construction. 　　VISIT TO GET ACROSS CHINA'S POLICIES ON KEY ISSUES     Xi's visit spanned three continents and two oceans. In every stop, Xi explained China's positions on key issues such as the international situation, the financial crisis, the upcoming G20 summit in London, the Doha round of trade talks as well as UN reforms.     He had in-depth exchanges of views with leaders of the host countries on enhancing cooperation and jointly tiding over the economic difficulties.     Leaders of the seven countries spoke highly of China's role in stabilizing the global economic and financial situation and promoting world peace and development.     Mexican and Brazilian leaders expressed readiness to beef up cooperation with China in international organizations and multilateral mechanisms and work together for a more fair and rational new international order, deal with financial crisis and win a greater say for the developing countries.     Colombian and Jamaican leaders appreciated China's contributions to stabilizing the world economy, saying the steady and relatively fast growth of China's economy will help other countries overcome financial crisis at an early date.     Xi also reiterated China's stance on the Taiwan and Tibet issues. The host countries all reaffirmed their adherence to the one-China policy.     The Chinese vice president welcomed the countries to participate in the Shanghai World Expo in 2010 and was given favorable responses by all. 　　FRUITFUL VISIT PACKED WITH SUBSTANTIAL ACTIVITIES     During his tour, Xi attended nearly 80 meetings, seminars, and other activities and held talks with leaders of the seven countries, exchanging views with them on bilateral ties as well as major international and regional issues of common concern.     He also witnessed the signing of over 60 cooperation documents in economy, finance, energy and mining, agriculture, infrastructure, high-tech and culture.     Xi held wide-ranging contacts with leaders of parliaments, political parties, regional leaders, and people from the media and academic communities.     Xi unveiled the first Confucius Institute in the Caribbean region, and broke ground for the Montego Bay Convention Center, a cooperation project by China and Jamaica.     Xi's visit uplifted China's relations with the seven countries, expanded their political mutual trust and strategic consensus, and deepened pragmatic cooperation, Li said. 　　BROAD PROSPECTS FOR FURTHER COOPERATION     Under the new consensus reached during Xi's visit, China and these countries will strengthen cooperation in trade, finance, energy and mining, agriculture, infrastructure construction, high-tech and culture.     The consensus laid a solid foundation for China and these countries to draw on each other's strength and achieve mutual benefit and win-win progress, Li said.     China and these countries are geographically far apart and have different social and cultural traditions, but their people have expressed an earnest wish to enhance friendship. Xi's visit served to push bilateral ties further forward, Li added.

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- China and Vietnam Monday marked the final demarcation of their land border at the Youyiguan border gate in Pingxiang City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.     The completion of the demarcation would be conducive to peace and stability of the border area, promote trade and exchanges, and push forward their comprehensive and strategic partnership of the two countries, said a statement from China's Foreign Ministry.     The 1,300-kilometer border starts at the junction of China, Vietnam and Laos and continues along the Beilun River to the coast. Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region are on Chinese side, and Cao Bang, Lang Son, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Guang Ninh are in Vietnam.     In the late 19th Century, China's Qing Dynasty and the French colonial administration in Vietnam concluded a treaty delineating the border. The border negotiations started in the 1970s and were suspended later that decade. Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo (L, C) shakes hands with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem after unveiling the No. 1116 boundary marker in Pingxiang City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, opposite to Lang Son City of Vietnam, Feb. 23, 2009. China and Vietnam Monday marked the final demarcation of their land border at the Youyiguan border gate in Pingxiang City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. More than 400 government officials and about 400 representatives from both countries, including those who attended the land border demarcation, were present at a ceremony after the demarcation. In the early 1990s, China and Vietnam resumed negotiations, and agreed to discuss a new treaty based on that signed in the 19th Century. They finalized the land boundary treaty on Dec. 30, 1999.They started demarcation work in 2001 and finished late last year.     The China-Vietnam joint committee for land border demarcation was established by both governments in November 2001. The committee was in charge of border demarcation and marker planting as well as drafting a protocol on border demarcation and marker planting.     The joint committee comprised 12 joint working teams. These teams were responsible for on-site demarcation work. In December 2001, the first marker on the border was installed at the Mong Cai-Dong Xing border gate.     The two sides reached an agreement on the remaining issues related to the land boundary survey on Dec. 31, 2008. The agreement achieved the goal set by leaders of China and Vietnam to complete the survey and the erection of boundary markers this year. Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo (4th R) shakes hands with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem on the ceremony marking the completion of land border demarcation and the erection of boundary markers in Pingxiang City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, opposite to Lang Son City of Vietnam, Feb. 23, 2009. China and Vietnam Monday marked the final demarcation of their land border at the Youyiguan border gate in Pingxiang City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. More than 400 government officials and about 400 representatives from both countries, including those who attended the land border demarcation, were present at a ceremony after the demarcation. During the eight-year effort, Chinese and Vietnamese officials worked almost one million days on the demarcation work and held 14rounds of meetings between the heads of the two governmental-level delegations, 34 rounds joint committee's meetings and 15 rounds of expert group meetings, which enabled the completion of the demarcation along the entire length of China-Vietnam land border with 2,000 border markers erected.     Advanced technologies were applied in the demarcation work, such as the geography information, global positioning and remote sensing systems, which ensured the accuracy of the demarcation work and a clear borderline.     The outcome was achieved under the direction of leaders of the two countries, said the ministry statement. It was also the result of concerted efforts of government delegations, experts, departments such as ministries of foreign affairs, national defense, public security, finance, survey-cartography and provinces along both sides of the border. Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo (L) shakes hands with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem after the ceremony marking the completion of land border demarcation and the erection of boundary markers in Pingxiang City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, opposite to Lang Son City of Vietnam, Feb. 23, 2009. China and Vietnam Monday marked the final demarcation of their land border at the Youyiguan border gate in Pingxiang City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. More than 400 government officials and about 400 representatives from both countries, including those who attended the land border demarcation, were present at a ceremony after the demarcationWorking staff from the joint survey teams also contributed to the success, working with extraordinary difficulties caused by complicated landscapes and bad weather conditions.     The two sides resolved complicated issues in a frank and friendly manner, said the statement.     By taking into account mutual concerns and trying to mitigate negative impacts on the lives and production of residents along the border, they finally achieved a mutually beneficial result. A ceremony marking the completion of land border demarcation and the erection of boundary markers is held in Pingxiang City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, opposite to Lang Son City of Vietnam, Feb. 23, 2009. China and Vietnam Monday marked the final demarcation of their land border at the Youyiguan border gate in Pingxiang City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. More than 400 government officials and about 400 representatives from both countries, including those who attended the land border demarcation, were present at a ceremony after the demarcation.

BEIJING, April 5 (Xinhua) -- China's cement production expanded 10.3 percent year on year to 159 million tonnes in the first two months, amid the booming fixed-asset investment, data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) have shown.     The growth rate was 6.8 percentage points higher than that for December, as the fixed-asset investment accelerated due to the government's 4 trillion yuan (584.8 billion U.S. dollars) stimulus package, according to the MIIT data released on Friday.     The wholesale price was 284 yuan per ton, 5 yuan cheaper than the price peak in November, but 27.8 yuan higher than that for January.     China's urban fixed asset investment rose 26.5 percent year on year to 1.027 trillion yuan (150.35 billion U.S. dollars) in the first two months, as the government's stimulus plan propped up construction of housing and railways.     MIIT figures showed that the output value of the building material sector rose 14 percent year on year in the January-February period, two percentage points higher than that for December.     The figures were calculated based on the comparable working days in the first two months, since China's Lunar New Year holiday fell in February last year, but in January this year.     Zhu Hongren, official with the MIIT said the building material sector was back on track after the stimulus plan showed effect. However, the excess production was still prominent, and efforts must be made to eliminate outdated capacity.

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BEIJING, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang said here Friday that the basic health-care system should be provided as a public service to the people to ensure and improve people's livelihoods.     Li made the remarks during a meeting on deepening the reform of the health-care system, stressing that the public health-care system should be conducted for public good and urging the gradual establishment of a basic health-care system to cover all Chinese citizens.     Carrying out the health-care system reform is of great significance to improving people's livelihoods and promoting social harmony, as well as boosting domestic demand and keeping a sound and rapid economic development, Li said.     The reform of the health-care system is a social systematic project, which is time-consuming, challenging and complicated, he said. By 2020, China should have a basic health-care system that covers urban and rural residents, Li pointed out.     Health-care reform in the next three years should be focused on relieving people from expensive and hard-to-get medical care, he said.     Li also said that reforms should be carried out in five areas, including providing universal access to basic health insurance, introducing an essential medicine system, improving primary healthcare facilities, offering equitable access to basic public health services and establishing pilot reform of state-run hospitals.

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Another Chinese delegation of businesses and industry leaders, led by the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), left for four European countries Saturday for investment and economic cooperation, the MOC said.     The business delegation, following purchases totaled more than 10 billion U.S. dollars in Europe by a Chinese procurement delegation in late February, are heading for the same destinations of Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Britain.     The new delegation will explore investment opportunities on areas of automobile, machinery, textile, food, electronics and technologies relating to energy saving and environment protection.     An MOC official said "the move would further strengthen cooperation between Chin and Europe and create a win-win result in tackling the global economic downturn."     The delegation are composed of more than 20 top Chinese companies, as well as several national trade associations and government officials.

LONDON, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao made concrete proposals on tackling the global financial crisis at the G20 London summit, playing an important and constructive role for the summit to gain pragmatic results, the Chinese foreign minister said on Friday.     "The summit produced measures of high value in fighting the financial crisis and built up confidence for the world to tide over the crisis and renew economic growth," Yang Jiechi said, adding that Hu's proposals contributed to the result. Chinese President Hu Jintao attends the Group of 20 summit in London, Britain, April 2, 2009. The international community held high expectations, especially on influential emerging economies such as China, and President Hu's attendance caught much attention, Yang said.     At the summit, Hu called for international cooperation, actively participated in various discussions, comprehensively introduced China's effective measures in dealing with the financial crisis, Yang said.     According to Yang, the Chinese president's trip was proved to a success mainly in five aspects. Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London, Britain, on April 1, 2009. Firstly, Hu expounded China's opinions on the global financial crisis and called for coordination and support between each other to "join hands and tide over the difficulties together."     Hu reiterated the Chinese government's willingness to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination with the international community, push the reform of the international financial system forward, actively safeguard the stability of the multilateral trade mechanism and contribute to the restoration of the world's economic development.     Secondly, Hu put forward proposals on reforming the international financial system, saying efforts should be made to strengthen cooperation in financial regulations, formulate as soon as possible widely accepted standards and norms of the regulations, Yang said. Chinese President Hu Jintao (2nd R) talks with British Prime Minister Gorden Brown (R) as they prepare to pose for a family photo during the Group of 20 summit in London, Britain, April 2, 2009International financial institutions should offer more aid to developing countries and the Financial Stability Forum should playa bigger role, the Chinese president said.     The International Monetary Fund (IMF) should strengthen and improve its supervision over the macroeconomic policies of various economies, major reserve currency issuing economies in particular, with a special focus on their currency issuing policies.     Measures should be taken to improve the governance structures of the IMF and the World Bank and give more say to developing countries.     Thirdly, Hu introduced to world leaders China's anti-crisis measures and preliminary achievements gained in tackling the economic downturn.     Fourthly, China voiced strong opposition to protectionism and concerns over development issues, Yang said.     Hu pointed out that protectionism had produced grave consequences, lessons of history must be learnt, and no country should resort to protectionism under the excuse of stimulating the economy.     Yang said the crisis has taken its toll particularly on the developing nations and the UN Millennium Goals have also suffered as a result.     China, as the world's biggest developing nation, has spared no efforts in defending the interests of developing nations, the minister said.     Fifthly, Hu's visit promotes bilateral relations with some countries, Yang said. Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) shakes hands with U.S. President Barack Obama during their meeting in London, Britain, on April 1, 2009In London, Hu held talks with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama in the first meeting between the two heads of state since the new U.S. administration took office in January, agreeing to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship in the 21st century and establish a new "China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue" mechanism.     The meeting ushered in a new era which features healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations, Yang said.     In a meeting between Hu and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, the two leaders agreed to push forward bilateral ties, jointly tackle the global financial crisis and strengthen coordination in dealing with international affairs. Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) meets with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in London, Britain, April 1, 2009When meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Hu reached broad consensus with him on tackling the international financial crisis, promoting the reform of the world financial system and enhancing bilateral relations.     Hu also met with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.     Despite a tight schedule, Hu tried to seize every opportunity to explain China's positions and views on various issues and achieved good results, Yang said. Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with French President Nicolas Sarkozy during their meeting in London, Britain, on April 1, 2009G20 groups the world's major economies and serves as a key and effective platform for tackling the current global economic and financial challenges, Yang said.     China is ready to work with other G20 members to implement the consensus reached at the London summit and make greater contributions to overcoming the financial crisis, renewing global economic growth and advancing international financial reforms, the minister concluded.

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BEIJING, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang said here Friday that the basic health-care system should be provided as a public service to the people to ensure and improve people's livelihoods.     Li made the remarks during a meeting on deepening the reform of the health-care system, stressing that the public health-care system should be conducted for public good and urging the gradual establishment of a basic health-care system to cover all Chinese citizens.     Carrying out the health-care system reform is of great significance to improving people's livelihoods and promoting social harmony, as well as boosting domestic demand and keeping a sound and rapid economic development, Li said.     The reform of the health-care system is a social systematic project, which is time-consuming, challenging and complicated, he said. By 2020, China should have a basic health-care system that covers urban and rural residents, Li pointed out.     Health-care reform in the next three years should be focused on relieving people from expensive and hard-to-get medical care, he said.     Li also said that reforms should be carried out in five areas, including providing universal access to basic health insurance, introducing an essential medicine system, improving primary healthcare facilities, offering equitable access to basic public health services and establishing pilot reform of state-run hospitals.

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- China lodged another stern representation to Japan on Friday over Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone's remarks that the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and United States is applicable to the Diaoyu Islands.     According to the reports by the Taiwan-based Broadcasting Corporation of China (BCC), an official of the U.S. State Department, familiar with East Asian affairs, said at a press conference in Washington on Friday that the Diaoyu Islands were always under Japan's administrative jurisdiction and the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and United States was applicable to them.     Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone echoed the U.S. official's remarks afterwards.     Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu rejected Nakasone's remarks later in a press release, saying the Japan-U.S. Mutual Cooperation and Security Treaty should not harm the interests of third parties, including China.     "Any words and deeds that bring the Diaoyu Islands into the scope of the Japan-U.S. Mutual Cooperation and Security Treaty are absolutely unacceptable for the Chinese people," he said.     Ma stressed again that the Diaoyu Islands and adjacent islets had been Chinese territories since ancient times and China held "indisputable" sovereignty over the islands.     "We have lodged stern representations to Japan again and required the United States to clarify reports on the issue," he said.     He also urged the two countries to realize the great sensitivity of the Diaoyu Islands issue and proceed with discretion in word and deed, so as to avoid damage to the general interests of China-Japan and China-U.S. relations and regional stability.

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BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao called for the building of a Great Wall of stability in Tibet here on Monday, prior to the 50th anniversary of the foiling of an armed rebellion led by the ** Lama's supporters.     Hu stressed the necessity to promote development and stability in Tibet when joining a panel discussion with deputies of the National People's Congress (NPC) from the Tibet Autonomous Region.      Chinese President Hu Jintao (2nd R) joins a panel discussion with deputies to the Second Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) from southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2009"We must reinforce the solid Great Wall for combating separatism and safeguarding national unity, so that Tibet, now basically stable, will enjoy lasting peace and stability," said Hu.     He urged Tibet authorities to implement the central government's policies on Tibet, focus on development and stability issues, attain an economic great-leap-forward, safeguard "national security" and "social stability", and keep improving people's living standard, in order for them to make new progress in the building of "a unified, democratic, prosperous and harmonious socialistic new Tibet."     In pursuing economic development, Hu said, Tibet must stick to the development road with Chinese characteristics and Tibetan features so as to strengthen the material foundation for the building of socialistic new Tibet.     The President urges Tibet to vigorously advance the program of building "socialist new villages," develop industries with distinguished features" and strengthen ecological and environmental protection.     Hu expressed the hope that Tibet should embark on more projects that will directly result in the improvement of people's life and working conditions, particularly those of farmers and herdsmen.     The government must also give priority to addressing people's immediate needs, so that people of all ethnic groups in Tibet will be able to share the fruit of development, he said.     READY TO HANDLE INCIDENT     Hu's remarks came ahead of several sensitive dates in Tibet.     Tibet will mark the 50th anniversary of the abolishment of slavery and the theocratic regime of the ** Lama on March 28.     On March 10, 1959, in an attempt to preserve the old serfdom, the nobles and slave owners staged an armed rebellion, which was foiled by the central government of China.     The riot changed everything in Tibet. The Communists soon decided that democratic reform should be carried out immediately to demolish the entire old system led by the ** Lama.     The Preparatory Committee of Tibet Autonomous Region replaced the Gaxag government and set out to lead the reform.     From 1959 to until 1966, 1 million slaves were granted land, houses and their freedom.     The ** Lama, who fled to India, has maintained a government-in-exile since 1959, and China has charged that this group was behind the riot in Lhasa on March 14 last year and other Tibetan areas of China.     Earlier on Sunday, Legqog, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Region People's Congress, said the ** clique has increased its secessionist and sabotage activities in Tibet this year.     "They made attempts to make trouble through collusion with those inside or even sending in their people," he said.     "Although Tibet is currently very stable, our troops are ready to handle any infiltration and sabotage activities by the ** Lama clique and other hostile forces," Kang Jinzhong, political commissar of armed police corps in Tibet, told Xinhua Monday.     "All the armed police forces across Tibet are on routine duty. The armed police force has the ability to handle any emergencies an any time," he said.     Tibetan people are "very simple and kind" and their heart stood with the Party, according to Kang, who has been working in Tibet for more than three year.     "If there were really disturbance, it must be caused by a few people instigated under the disguise of religious cause," he said, adding up to now armed police in Tibet had not found any "abnormal situation."     Kang said some hostile forces or "a handful of people" might be making preparations for making trouble, but their conspiracy would not succeed.     Some overseas media have reported that conflict might arise at any time in Tibet, but Kang said that was "purely talking nonsense."     "I am completely relaxed. To be frankly, if Tibet were in a tense situation, I would not have come here for the parliamentary session or talk to you," he told Xinhua, adding, "I'm confident so I'm here for the session."     Kang said Tibet did not experience any instability after the March 14 riot in Lhasa.     The riot, occurring in Lhasa during last year's parliamentary session, caused 18 deaths and huge economic losses.     BORDER CONTROL TIGHTENED     In the riot last year, innocent civilians suffered the most.     Tibetan businessman Losang still keeps photos of the damage to his souvenir store near Lhasa's Jokhang Temple. "They broke the glass and took away some of my most valuable items."     Losang feels easier seeing police and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army patrolling Lhasa's streets. "Tightened security is a good thing for business people and all residents."     "Who cares what other people think of the tightened security in Lhasa?" said a Tibetan woman who was taking her preschool daughter for a walk in a park near the Potala Palace.     "It's always easy to point a finger at others, but we are the ones who actually went through the tragic experience last year," she said. "If not for the police and PLA, I wouldn't have dared to take my daughter out to the streets now."     Expecting possible sabotage activities by the ** Lama clique, a senior police officer said here Monday that border control has been tightened in Tibet.     "We have made due deployment and tightened controls at border ports, and key areas and passages along the border in Tibet," Fu Hongyu, Political Commissar of the Ministry of Public Security Border Control Department.     "We will firmly crackdown on criminal activities in Tibet's border area that pose a threat to China's sovereignty and government," said Fu, a deputy to the NPC session.     "We will go all out to maintain the security and stability of border and coastal areas," said Fu.     Tibet, a plateau region in China, has a lengthy border with Myanmar, India, Bhutan and Nepal.

SHENZHEN, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- China started construction of the eastern segment of the country's second West-East natural gas pipeline in Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province on Saturday.     Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang attended the kick-off ceremony announced the start of the construction.     The pipeline, the second after the first West-East natural gas transfer project, will cross 15 regions and carry 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas every year to Zhejiang, Shanghai, Guangdong and Hong Kong, among others.     When visiting the construction site, Li said the pipeline under construction is the country's most expensive energy project in decades and the world's longest natural gas pipeline. It is of great importance to ensuring China's energy security, coordinating regional economic development, deepening the ties between Hong Kong and inland provinces and promoting economic growth.     The 8,704 km pipeline will be made up of one trunk line and eight sub-lines. Construction of the west segment of the pipeline was started in February 2008 and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The whole line will be operational by the end of 2011.     As China battles the financial crisis and expands its domestic demand, the second West-East gas pipeline project is a landmark project that will boost people's confidence to overcome the crisis, said an official with the National Development and Reform Commission.     The total investment of the second West-East gas pipeline was 142.2 billion yuan (20.82 billion U.S. dollars). The eastern segment stretches 2,472 km, with an investment of 93 billion yuan.     The government approved the east segment project during an executive meeting of the State Council or the Cabinet last November, in a hope to ease natural gas shortage, boost economic development and popularize utilization of clear energy.     Zhou Dadi, a researcher with the Energy Research Institute of National Development and Reform Commission said the construction of the gas pipe is essential for China to increase gas resources and ensure energy security.     It is hoped that construction will boost consumption and increase investment amid a world economic downturn, Zhou added.     It is estimated that investment will top 300 billion yuan in other relevant industries, including machinery production, electric technology, and construction material sectors.     Dong Xiucheng, professor with China University of Petroleum said this project will help China increase clean energy consumption.     In China, coal makes up 70 percent of the total energy consumption, 40 percentage points higher than the world average. Natural gas consumption only accounts for three percent of the total.     The completion of the second pipeline is expected to save 11.06million tonnes of coal every year.     The first West-East gas pipeline was finished in 2004. It has provided 42 billion cubic meters of gas to 3,000 factories and nearly 200 million people over the past five years     Wang Yang, secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, and Donald Tsang, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, also attended Saturday's ceremony.