Caixin (March 26) said China aims to boost its overall airport capacity by nearly half in the next five years, with an emphasis on regional facilities. It quoted Wang Zhiqing, Deputy at the Ministry of Transport, as saying during a briefing on March 24, that China will add 30 new civilian-use airports through 2025, bringing its total annual transport capacity to 2 billion trips, or a 43% increase from last year’s level.

(Comments: The 14th Five Year Plan and Long Range Plan for 2035 approved at the recently concluded Plenary sessions of the NPC and CPPCC had said 30 new airports would be built.)