China's G20 host city expands underground

HANGZHOU - The eastern city of Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province and the location of the upcoming G20 summit, is exploring how to develop its subterranean space.

According to an official with Hangzhou construction authority, the city will expand its used underground space to 82.6 million square meters by 2020, 1.7 percent of the city's urban area.

Chen Lijun, an official with Hangzhou municipal commission of urban-rural development, told Xinhua that underground space offered a solution to the strains of a fast growing population.

Hangzhou, covering 16,596 square kilometers including an urban area of 4,876 square kilometers, is home to more than 9 million residents.

"The city is surrounded on three sides by hills, which makes it difficult to expand," Chen said.

In the next five years, about 23.1 million square meters will be added, of which 1.6 million is earmarked for transportation and 8.7 million for garages.

Hangzhou subway has extended to 82 kilometers, and by 2020 it will reach 406.5 kilometers, Chen said.

The rest of the space will be used for storage, sports and exhibitions, Chen added.

She hoped that the underground exploration could also help reduce environment pollution, save land resources and improve local people's lives.

Praised by Italian traveler Marco Polo in the 13th century as "the world's most magnificent and noble city," Hangzhou is one of China's fastest developing cities, posting an economic growth rate of 10.8 percent in the first half of this year, which is well above the 6.7 percent registered by the country as a whole.