National Arterial Highway Network
The Ministry of Communications (predecessor of today's Ministry of Transportation) formulated the Plan for National Arterial Highway System to satisfy the demand of China's political, economic and transportation development in 1992. The National Arterial Highway System, composed of five east-west and seven north-south national arterial highways as well as main highway hubs and their information system, is the backbone of China's highway network and most were built to the technological standard of expressways. The five north-south and the seven east-west national arterial highways were completed by the end of 2007. Totaling 35,000 km, they link up the capitals of all provinces and autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, special economic regions, main transportation hubs, and chief ports opening to foreign trade. The system covers over 200 cities, including all mega cities and 93 percent of large cities, and provides access to 600 million people, 55 percent of China's total population or 70 percent of the country's urban population.
The five east-west national arterial highways are:
1. Tongjiang–Harbin–Shenyang–Dalian–Yantai–Qingdao–Lianyungang–Shanghai–Ningbo–Fuzhou–Guangzhou–Haikou–Sanya Highway;
2. Beijing–Tianjin–Jinan–Nanjing–Hanghzou–Ningbo–Fuzhou Highway;
3. Beijing–Shijiazhuang–Zhengzhou–Wuhan–Changsha–Guangzhou–Zhuhai Highway;
4. Erenhot–Datong–Taiyuan–Xi'an–Chengdu–Kunming–Hekou Highway;
5. Chongqing–Guiyang–Nanning–Zhanjiang Highway.
The seven north-south national arterial highways are:
1. Suifenhe–Harbin–Manzhouli Highway;
2. Dandong–Shenyang–Beijing–Hohhot–Yinchuan–Lanzhou–Xining–Lhasa Highway;
3. Qingdao–Jinan–Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan–Yinchuan Highway;
4. Lianyungang–Zhengzhou–Xi'an–Lanzhou–Urumqi–Horguos Highway;
5. Shanghai–Nanjing–Hefei–Wuhan–Chongqing–Chengdu Highway;
6. Shanghai–Hangzhou–Nanchang–Changsha–Guiyang–Kunming–Ruili Highway;
