BEIJING — China has secured major progress in the general aviation industry with surging flight hours and more certified general airports serving the sector.

In 2019, the annual total flight hours of China's general aviation industry amounted to 1.12 million hours, a 13.8-percent year-on-year increase, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

As of the end of 2019, China had 246 certified general airports.

It was the first time for China to see more general airports than civil airports, which mainly serve the civil aviation transport of both passengers and air cargo.

As of the end of 2019, the number of China's civil airports stood at 238, according to the CAAC.

The general aviation industry plays more important roles in China's economic and social progress. It serves diversified civilian uses, such as emergency medical services, forest fire fighting, power-line air patrol and emergency supplies delivery.

China has listed the general aviation industry as one of the strategic emerging industries, and injected power to release its vitality.

More airports are under construction. China is expected to have more than 500 general airports by 2020, bringing air transport to each prefecture-level city.