China’s Tibet to build three new airports

The Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China will build three new airports, a move to further improve the region’s extensive transportation system, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The National Development and Reform Commission has approved the construction of three new airports and the expansion of Lhasa’s Gonggar Airport in Tibet, CAAC reported.

The three new airports will be located in Lhunze District, Tingri District and Burang District respectively. The expansion project will involve building a second runway at Lhasa’s Gonggar Airport.

Total investment in the project is expected to exceed 13.6 billion yuan (about US$2.09 billion).

The project aims to better meet the demand of residents for travel, emergency rescue and socioeconomic development in the region.

Transport has been a bottleneck limiting Tibet’s development, as the region is situated on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, with complex geographical conditions for road construction.

Since the end of 2012, China has been increasing its investments in infrastructure in Tibet. The region has launched a total of 130 air routes, with 61 cities connected by flights. The number of passenger trips made through these airports totaled 5.18 million in 2020.

Source: portuguese.xinhuanet.com