The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved 500 million US dollars for China's east-west trunk railway in the largest-ever loan offered to the mainland, state media reported Sunday.
The ADB-funded railway will run for 377 kilometres (233 miles) from central China's Hubei province to Chongqing municipality in south-west China, the Xinhua news agency reported.
The railway is expected to play a key role in promoting economic development in western China and regions along the route, many of which are poor, Xinhua quoted Ministry of Railways officials as saying.