Shanghai Airport（Group）Company recently finished the program in launching the project, the aviation hub for Asia-pacific region. The program was also approved in principle by Shanghai municipal government and Civil Aviation and Administration of China. According to the Program, Shanghai Pudong International Airport is planned to obtain its preliminary status of an aviation hub in Asia-Pacific region by the year 2005.

According to the blueprint, from 2001 to 2005, Shanghai Pudong International Airport will have a second runway built, carry out the initial project for the putting-up of a second aviation building, thus forming a preliminary backbone operation mode. By the year 2005, the passenger traffic flow of Pudong Airport will exceed 20 million person-times and the freight handling capacity to hit one million tons, assuming one of the busiest airports in the world. From 2005 to 2010, in accordance with the requirements of an aviation hub, Shanghai Pudong International Airport will kick off the construction of the second-phase aviation building.

Shortly afterwards, Shanghai Airport Group will, putting heads together with airlines and departments for aerial control, take up the work to detail the program of the aviation hub. The radar controlling system for entering and exiting the airport was put into operation on August 20. The foundation of the station of China's first magnetic levitation railway at Pudong International Airport has been laid. The 320,000 square-meter private airplane apron and distinguished guest hall have been completed and passed the checking smoothly. The first-phase piling and rolling project for the second runway has been finished.

(Xinhua 08/22/2001)