(ECNS) -- From January to November this year, northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region constructed a total of 6,442 kilometers of rural highway, with a total investment of 8.126 billion yuan ($1.17 billion), according to local transportation department.

The highways were built to support various industries and local tourism, with priorities given to transportation infrastructure in farming and stockbreeding areas to boost rural revitalization, an official said.

This year, Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture started construction of a number of rural highways. After completion, there will be a higher-level regional highway network to promote regional economic development and benefit more rural populations.