BEIJING - China's spending on roads and waterways should hit 1.53 trillion yuan ($250 billion) this year, up 5.56 percent year on year, a transportation official said on Friday.

With the money, 8,260 km of new expressways were added to the national network, said Minister of Transport Yang Chuantang, at a work conference.

A further 28,600 km of national and provincial roads were constructed or upgraded along with 210,000 km of rural roads, Yang said.

A further 110 berths for 10,000 ton ships will be completed, and 289 km of waterways built or upgraded this year.