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China to build natural gas pipeline

SHANGHAI: China will next year start building a 4,200-km (2,610 mile) natural gas pipeline from the western region of Xinjiang to the eastern city of Shanghai, the China Daily Business Weekly said on Sunday.

The 60 billion yuan ($7.25 billion) project will take six years to complete, the official newspaper said, quoting the State Development Planning Commission.

China hopes to attract foreign investment for the project with state giant China National Petroleum Corp and the central government also providing funds, it said.

When completed, the project will supply more than 20 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually from Xinjiang's Tarim Basin to Shanghai, the newspaper said.-Reuters