The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has approved the construction of four civilian airports, which will cost 1.618 billion yuan (US$202 million).

The to-be-built Kangding and Leshan airports, located in Sichuan Province in southwest China, will require an investment of 950 million and 150 million yuan respectively, an NDRC source said on Thursday.

The Tengchong airport in southwest China's Yunnan Province will cost 321 million yuan, and the Daqing airport in Heilongjiang Province in northeast China, 197 million yuan.

NDRC and the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) are considering a large-scale airport construction drive to meet the country's increasing aviation needs, the source said.

There are currently 142 civilian airports on the Chinese mainland.

The country is expected to spend 140 billion yuan on airport construction in the next five years. It plans to expand and renovate 27 large and medium-sized airports during the five-year period.

(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2006)