China will continue to invest in fixed transportation assets this year to contribute to economic development, the transport minister said on Thursday. "Last year, China's transportation sector saw investments of 3.8 trillion yuan ($550 billion) in fixed transportation assets, a year-on-year increase of 6 percent, contributing to economic growth . This year, we will continue to invest more in the sector for economic development," Li Xiaopeng, the transport minister, said at a news conference on Thursday. The investment for transportation infrastructure usually comes with a large amount of expenditures, which can yield quick returns and also drive the development in other sectors, said Xu Chengguang, vice-minister of transport. "It is an important measure to ensure people's livelihoods and promote economic development. It is also one of the essential areas to stabilize economic growth and create more jobs," Xu said. (....)