#China - Beijing inches closer to becoming the world's busiest airport

China is forecast to overtake the U.S. as the world’s biggest air-travel market as soon as 2022.

Beijing inched one step closer to taking the crown for the world’s busiest airport.

As the ranks of the Chinese middle class swell and more people take to the skies, passenger traffic at Beijing’s international airport rose to a new record of 95.8 million last year.

This increase at the world’s second-busiest air hub -- at least the fifth straight year of gains -- has allowed Beijing Capital International Airport to narrow the gap with top placed Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, whose passenger numbers fell in 2017.

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 China is forecast to overtake the U.S. as the world’s biggest air-travel market as soon as 2022. To cope with the surge in fliers, Beijing is building a $12.9 billion mega airport in a southern suburb that’s scheduled to open next year. It would accommodate as many as 100 million passengers annually, with the existing and new airports likely sharing 170 million travelers a year by 2025, according to official estimates. 

 The new airport has been designated by authorities as the hub for members of the SkyTeam alliance, a global group of airlines that includes China Eastern Airlines Corp. and China Southern Airlines Co. The two state-owned Chinese carriers will each be allowed to capture 40 percent of the airport’s passengers, gaining coveted time slots to Europe and the U.S. in flag carrier Air China Ltd.’s backyard.

Beijing will also be joining a select list of major cities with two or even three international airports, including London, New York, Tokyo and Paris. Unlike in Beijing, though, those airports usually take complementary roles, such as one serving international or intercontinental routes and the other focusing on domestic or regional flights.

Source - TheJakartaPost

 

Beijing and Phnom Penh think about becoming sister cities

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Phnom Penh and Beijing are in talks to become “sister cities”, chief of the Chinese Embassy’s political section Wang De Xin confirmed yesterday.

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According to Wang, representatives from the Beijing Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, led by committee chairman Ji Lin, met with Phnom Penh Governor Pa Socheatvong on Monday to discuss the partnership.

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Reached by phone yesterday, the capital’s deputy governor, Khoung Sreng, said the objective of the meeting was for both countries to better understand each other.

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“The main purpose of being sister cities with Beijing would be to support each other . . . to cooperate economically and to promote cultural exchange,” he said.

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He added that one of the most important aspects of the partnership would be requesting Beijing’s assistance in areas such as infrastructure, training and the management and restoration of public spaces.

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Sreng noted that the focus of the partnership was not to attract foreign investment, but to work with Beijing in selecting local poor communities for targeted help, such as the building of homes.

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Source - PhnomPenhPost