BEIJING — Vice-Premier Han Zheng on Nov 20 called for meticulous efforts in the construction of Beijing’s new international airport.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a research trip to the construction site, located in Beijing’s Daxing District.

Efforts should be made to ensure the project be completed and put into use as scheduled, Han said.

The new airport should become a model for projects that serve national strategies and showcase the national image, Han said.

The airport, located 46 km south of downtown Beijing, is designed to take pressure off the overcrowded Beijing Capital International Airport in the northeastern suburbs.

The construction of the airport has entered a key phase, Han said, stressing quality control of the project on the premise of work safety.

The new airport is expected to open to air traffic at the end of September 2019, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said in July.