China aims large with new aviation infrastructure

China is sinking billions into building new airports this year. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the country will invest about US$11.7b this year in the construction of civil aviation infrastructure. The agency said it will step up construction of important new airports, including those in Beijing, Chengdu, Qingdao, Xiamen and Dalian. In addition, 11 key infrastructure projects and 52 upgrades or expansion work on civil aviation facilities will be started this year. The agency also said that work on Beijing’s second international airport, the largest construction project in Chinese civil aviation history, is progressing well. The airport is scheduled to be completed in Jun 2019 and to become operational in December that year. In all, China plans to build 66 new civil airports in the next five years, taking the number of such airports on the Chinese mainland from 206 to 272. The agency said that this is in respond to rising demand for air travel.<br/>