Xinjiang to expand int'l airport in Urumqi

Northwest China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region will spend 42.1 billion yuan (6.3 billion U.S. dollars) to expand its airport in Urumqi, the regional capital, according to the regional economic planner.

The project, expected to be completed in 2022, will include the construction of two new runways in the Urumqi Diwopu International Airport designed to accommodate the world's largest aircraft.

The move aims to ease the pressure of growing tourists to the region, according to regional Development and Reform Commission.

Xinjiang's tourism has been booming in recent years, with more than 33.51 million passengers traveling by air in 2018. The volume of cargo and mail carried by the planes reached 191,800 tonnes, up 11.4 percent and 2.3 percent year on year respectively.

The region is also accelerating the construction of airports. So far, it has 21 civilian airports with 244 air routes covering the entire region.