Summary：Recent rapid development of highways in all directions from Guizhou means the once-remote southwestern province can be reached conveniently.

Recent rapid development of highways in all directions from Guizhou means the once-remote southwestern province can be reached conveniently, a development expected to drive its expo industry.

More than 92 percent of Guizhou's land is mountains and hills. Its western area forms part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.

The geography and fragile environment of the plateau have compounded difficulties in developing transport, but convenient links are now seen as an indispensable way to promoting economic growth.

Research from the provincial government found that every 100 million yuan invested in highways adds about 300 million yuan to the local GDP.

In 2002, a master plan for local transportation was made and since been implemented.

All expressways connecting to neighboring provinces have been finished, increasing the length of highways in the province to 158,000 kilometers during the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-10). Eleven expressway projects were finished during the period at a total cost of 83.7 billion yuan.

Factories have followed along the new expressways. Many chemical, food processing and biomedical companies have opened along the major expressways connected to Shanghai in the east, Kunming in the west, Lanzhou in the north and Haikou in the south. New tourist sites have also been made accessible.

In 2011, 70 billion yuan was allocated to transportation as new highways and rail lines reached more than 2,000 kilometers, while another 34 air routes were added.

"Support from the central government and cooperation among departments accelerated the rapid expansion of highways in Guizhou," said an official from the provincial department of transportation.

Future plans call for at least 2,200 km of new high-speed rail completed by the end of 2015.

It will then take just three hours by rail from the capital Guiyang to Guangzhou, six hours to Shanghai, and eight hours to Beijing.

After the completion of the Guiyang-Kunming Expressway, Guizhou will have a fast track to the planned Kunming-Bangkok Highway and a shortcut to the ASEAN region.

As well expressways to Kunming and Guangzhou could then link to an international network that bridges the Pearl River Delta and ASEAN regions.

The easy transportation is a boost to the convention business in Guiyang, which will in turn raise the city's profile to drive other industries.

Of 66 organizers who recently visited, 49 have decided to hold expos ranging from engineering and wine to energy and tea in Guiyang.

Growth in the industry is also attracting more big-brand hotels including a Hilton facility.