Construction work started over the weekend on a leading aluminum production project at Ma'ai Township of Debao County in Bose City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

With the approval of the State Development and Reform Commission, the project will take an estimated total investment of 8.5 billion yuan (1.02 billion US dollars), and will have a annual production capacity of 1.6 million tons of aluminum.

The project, co-funded by Guangxi Investment Group Ltd., Minerals Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd. and China Aluminum Industry Co., Ltd., is scheduled for completion in 2007, officials from China Aluminum Industry said.

Last year China carried out a series of macroeconomic control measures to cool down some overheated sectors, including the steel,cement, electrolytic aluminum and real estate industries.

According to Liu Qiang, spokeswoman for the China Aluminum Industry, China will produce 7.3 million tons to 7.5 million tons of aluminum this year, up from the 6.56 million tons produced last year. She said she expects aluminum consumption to rise 15 percent year-on-year to 6.8 million tons nationwide.

Source: Xinhua