Pingyao starts shantytown renovation

The old town of Pingyao in north China's Shanxi Province has started renovation work on shantytowns.

According to the renovation plan, Pingyao will invest nearly 3 billion yuan (US$450 million) on renovation of six shantytown areas covering 400,000 square meters and 3,805 households.

Pingyao, a tourist attraction, is located about 600 kilometers southwest of Beijing and its history dates back some 2,700 years. The old town is famous for its well-preserved city walls and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site List in 1997.

The old town is only 2.2 square kilometers in area. After renovation, the old town will have more space to build tourism infrastructure and better develop its tourism industry, according to Pingyao authorities.

In 2006 and 2013, Pingyao carried out shantytown renovation work on a small scale.