China to invest US$11.7 billion into new airports in 2016

BEIJING - The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) says China will invest about RMB77 billion (US$11.7 billion) on construction of civil aviation infrastructure, especially airports in Beijing, Chengdu, Qingdao, Xiamen and Dalian, in 2016.

A report in the China Daily said CAAC has listed 11  key infrastructure projects and upgrading or expansion of 52 civil aviation facilities, adding that work on Beijing’s second international airport – the largest construction project in Chinese civil aviation history – is “progressing well” and on schedule to be completed in 2019.

The agency will also work with top economic planner National Development and Reform Commission to publish a blueprint this year on the locations of new civil airports to be built before 2030.

Officials have said China plans to build 66 new civil airports in the next five years, taking the number on the Chinese mainland to 272 from 206.

According to official data, Chinese travellers in 2015 made more than 4 billion trips to domestic destinations, and 120 million trips abroad, an increase of 16% on 2014.