Beijing's Fengtai to get half of development funds

Almost half of the funds put aside to develop south Beijing will be spent in the Fengtai district, an official has said.

The city government will invest 290 billion yuan ($46.6 billion) in its New South Beijing Three-Year Plan (2013-15).

Roughly 130 billion yuan will be spent in the southwestern suburb of Fengtai, the authority said.

Beijing decided to boost development in the south in 2010. Since then the area has been transformed into a bio-medical industry scientific research base.

Fengtai will spend about 50 billion yuan this year, mainly on infrastructure construction, livelihood projects and industrial park construction, said Li Chaogang, an NPC deputy and district Party chief.

In 2013, the district will focus on the construction of rail transit systems, Li said. Beijing's Subway Line 14 is under construction, while work on Line 16 and the third phase of Line 8 will start soon.

A new airport, which will be in Daxing district, will also boost logistics, manufacturing and strategic industries in Fengtai, Li said.

The 9th China (Beijing) International Garden Expo, which will open in Fengtai on May 18, is expected to receive about 17 million visitors.