China's fixed asset investment in transportation facilities in the first six months rose by 9.5 percent compared with the same period of last year, but the growth rate was 5.2 percent slower, according to the Ministry of Communications.

Statistics released by the ministry Saturday show that investment in inland rivers enjoyed the highest growth, at 27.7 percent, while that in highways was 9.3 percent and coastal harbors at 12.8 percent.

The construction of key inland water projects, including the Yangtze River, the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal and the Zhujiang River Delta, took up 85 percent of the investment from the central government

Although the investment in coastal harbor construction remained at a fairly high level, the growth rate slowed down by 20.9 percent, according to the ministry.

Investment in highways rose by 9.3 percent, but the growth rate slowed down by 1.6 percent. Highway construction accounted for 84.3 percent of the country's total investment in transportation facilities, compared with 85.1 percent in 2005 and 84.4 percent in 2006.

According to the ministry's 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010), by 2010 a fairly complete expressway network will be finished in the developed east China areas, while high grade highways will connect major cities in less-developed central and west China areas.

The harbor capacity is expected to meet the need of economic development by 2010, with container berths reaching 377, capable of handling 136 million containers a year. The capacity of coal and crude ports will also be expanded considerably.