The eastern Chinese province of Anhui is planning to spend 1.1 billion Yuan (US$133 million) to build and expand its airports in the coming five years, official sources said.

In the next five years, the province will build up an air transportation service network, which will comprise the central airport in Hefei, the capital city, and two key airports in Huangshan, a southern city in the province where the World Heritage Site Huangshan Mountain is located, and in Fuyang in the northern region of the province.

The investment will be mainly used to expand Huangshan Airport and relocate Bengbu Airport in the north, and to improve the communication facilities of Hefei and Huangshan airports.

Hefei Airport is expected to have an annual passenger throughput of 929,000, and an annual cargo and mail volume of 23, 000 tons in five years time, up 9 percent and 13 percent respectively. And the numbers for the Huangshan Airport will reach 480,000 people and 4,500 tons respectively, up 7.5 percent and 12 percent, according to official sources.

(Xinhua 06/12/2001)