This aerial photo taken on Nov. 1, 2023 shows a section of the construction site of the Wuxi-Zhenping Expressway in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)

China's expressway mileage under operation had reached 177,000 km by the end of 2022, and China remains the country with the longest expressway mileage in the world, the Ministry of Transport said on Thursday.

By the end of 2022, China's total highway mileage had reached 5.35 million km, an increase of 1.12 million km in the space of 10 years, Guo Sheng, an official with the ministry, told a press conference.

In recent years, China's highway network has constantly improved in terms of both length and quality, with a number of major highway projects completed.

In the future, China will further optimize its highway network, striving to build a modern highway infrastructure system to ensure mobility of people and goods, Guo added.