Construction started Friday on the first subway line in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao, home of world-famous Tsingtao Beer.

A 25.1-kilometer line with 22 stops will be built in the seaside city, the venue of sailing events for last summer's Olympics, at a cost of 13 billion yuan (US$1.9 billion),said Liu Jianjun, executive deputy head of the subway construction headquarters.

It would open in 2014 and be able to handle 235,000 passengers a day, Liu said.

The city would add another line by 2016, expanding the system to 54.7 km, he said.

The city plans to build eight lines by 2050 with a total length of 231.5 km, said Hu Shaojun, vice mayor of Qingdao.

(Xinhua News Agency June 27, 2009)