China to construct 216 new airports by 2035

The Civil Aviation Administration of China aims to construct 216 new airports by 2035 to meet the growing demands for air travel, reports say. China had a total of 234 civil airports at the end of October, and this number is likely to hit 450 by 2035. This is part of China’s ambition to become an aviation power, reported People’s Daily, China, quoting Reuters.
Data shows that demand for passenger air transportation in China will surpass the US by 2035, representing almost one-quarter of the world’s total flights.
Airports in China managed 552 million travellers last year, which is expected to grow to 720 million by 2020.
With one billion new passengers and 1.6 billion total passenger traffic in the next two decades, China is set to become the largest driver of the global aviation industry, according to the International Air Transport Association.
With great market potential and the consumption upgrade trend, China is driving development of international aviation in the Asia-Pacific, and the country is expected to maintain its steady growth in the next two decades, surpassing the US to occupy the top spot in the global aviation industry, IATA said.