BEIJING — Construction has resumed on 65 airport projects across China, representing more than 80 percent of the country's airport projects under construction, according to the civil aviation authorities.
Among which, 27 airports are the national major airport projects, said the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
Airports are key public infrastructures that sustain the continuous and fast growth of China's civil aviation industry. By the end of 2019, China had a total of 238 civil airports.
Civil aviation industry is playing its role in the country's fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak, carrying medical professionals and emergency supplies to the virus-hit regions.
Meanwhile, the industry faced huge challenges, especially in the air freight sector, due to the reduction of international and domestic flights.
China will take further steps to boost the country's international air freight capacity to stabilize supply chains, the State Council's executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang decided on March 24.
Premier Li stressed that the development of an international logistics and delivery services system must be accelerated to uphold the smooth running of the industrial chain.
"We must facilitate both international and domestic air transport services, and keep up our international air freight capacity to avert potential shocks to the supply chains and facilitate the restart of business operations," he said.
Existing airports will be modernized and better equipped with cold-chain and parcel sorting facilities, and new airports mainly serving freight needs will be developed, according to the meeting.
Enhancing air cargo capacity has been a highlight of the new round of airport renovation and construction.
In newly approved airport construction plans of the CAAC, the designed annual cargo capacity of airports in Kunming, Chongqing and Xiamen will each exceed 1 million tons.
The newly opened Beijing Daxing International Airport is expected to handle more than 2 million tons of air cargo in 2025. Major air hubs in Shanghai and Guangzhou will also gain enhanced air cargo throughput capacity.
