Tourism belt forming along China-Vietnam border

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 ◆ Tourism belt forming along China-Vietnam border

A tourism belt is taking shape along the line where the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China meets Vietnam.

The belt area features ancient battlefields, frontier junctions, mysterious frescos, scarce plants and animals and underground military fortresses. The diverse customs of ethnic inhabitants can also be enjoyed all along the border line.

With a projected investment of 130 million yuan (15.7 million US dollars), construction of the 1,020-km belt was initiated by the regional government of Guangxi in 2000.

So far, some 67 million yuan (8.1 million US dollars) has been spent on constructing and maintaining major tourist attractions.

Recently, a 725-km-long blacktop highway covering eight border counties and cities went in to use, which local government officials say will bring more opportunities for the burgeoning border trade and tourism.