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Chinese authorities plan to build general aviation airports in most of the country’s 2,800 counties to spur economic growth, according to a report in the Global Times published on Monday. China currently has just 78 county airports. China’s economic five-year plan for 2016-20 predicts the airports could help to generate up to $44 billion in economic growth. “The development of general aviation will not only greatly enhance China’s infrastructure, but also provide an impetus for emerging industries like private jet manufacturing and air ambulances,” Li Xiaojin, a professor at the Civil Aviation University of China, told the Times.
Li Jiaxiang, head of China’s Civil Aviation Administration, told the Xinhua News Agency the huge infrastructure project would create new momentum for China’s economic growth, driving massive investment in infrastructure and manufacturing. Meanwhile, government officials are “mulling over” changes in the country’s restrictive airspace rules, according to Xinhua, and also may cede control over the new airports to local governments.
