Apart from enhancing the role of pivotal trunk line airports, new branch line airports will be built to back up the strategy for developing and opening up western China. This is a CAAC plan told lately by Deputy Director Bao Peide on behalf of Civil Aviation and Administration of China at a seminar called in Guangzhou.

Ecological environment protection, development of tourism, utilization of resources and the fullest use of CAAC's existing pivotal trunk line airports as those of Chengdu, Urumqi, Xi'an and Kunming will be stressed when new branch line airports are built, according to Bao.

Bao also pointed out that it makes an important and urgent task of China to develop a civil aviation industry with branch line airports built in a well-coordinated pattern with pivotal trunk line airports as part of the country's aviation work in building up a world class aviation network.