Two bridges connecting Zhoushan Archipelago, the largest of China's offshore island groups, with the country's continental area will begin construction this year. They are scheduled to be complete in 2008, said a source with the Zhejiang provincial government.

The 5.3-kilometer-long Xihoumen Bridge, a suspension bridge consisting of a 2.6-kilometer sea-crossing bridge and 2.7-kilometer side joint sections on both ends, will be built at a cost of 2.48 billion yuan (US$299.87 million), the source said.

The Xihoumen Bridge, linking Jintang and Cezi, two major islands of the archipelago, can allow the passage of ships of 30,000 dead weight tonnage.

The Jintang Bridge, linking Jintang Island and Zhenhai of Ningbo, is 27 kilometers long. The 7-billion-yuan project consists of an 18.5-kilometer sea bridge and joint sections totaling 8.5 kilometers.

The two bridges are the second phase of a huge "continent-island joint project" launched by Zhoushan in 1999 to link the archipelago with the mainland through five bridges.

Construction of the other three bridges have been completed.