Gwadar New International Airport terminal in Pakistan.
Photo by Ding Kan
Siem Reap Angkor International Airport terminal in Cambodia.
Photo by Hu Xinlin
The reconstruction and expansion project of Juba International Airport in South Sudan undertaken by a Chinese enterprise.
Photo by Li Zhao
Passengers pass by the Chinese desk inside Ethiopia's Bole International Airport.
Photo by Wan Yu, reporter of this newspaper
The upgrading and reconstruction project of Liberia's Roberts International Airport undertaken by a Chinese enterprise.
Photo by Meng Lingru
Terminal 2 of Ethiopia's Bole International Airport.
Photo by Zhang Hongwei
Airports are the main infrastructure for air connectivity. Over the past 10 years, with the deepening of the joint construction of the "Belt and Road", airports and terminals invested, built and renovated by Chinese enterprises have been completed one after another, and the passenger and cargo volume has continued to grow, becoming an important aviation hub in the region and contributing to the realization of regional connectivity.
Bole International Airport, Ethiopia
To build an African air transport hub
In the southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, a silver-white steel terminal is particularly eye-catching against the backdrop of blue skies and trees. Step inside and find spacious arrival and departure halls, state-of-the-art self-service check-in and boarding systems, fast free Internet service, a well-stocked duty-free shop, and a clean restaurant.
This is the new terminal of Bole International Airport, undertaken by China Communications Construction Co., Ltd., as part of the Bole International Airport renovation and expansion project. Construction of the new terminal began in 2015 and took four years to complete it with high quality. "The current Bole International Airport is really new!" South African traveler Marty has flown at Bole International Airport many times, and in his opinion, the new terminal has greatly enhanced the experience at Bole International Airport.
As East Africa's largest aviation hub, Bole International Airport is a transit point for many international routes. Since its official opening in 2019, the passenger throughput of the new terminal has increased from 7 million passengers per year in the old terminal to 22 million. After the new terminal is put into operation, Ethiopia continues to invite Chinese to participate in the renovation and expansion of Bole International Airport, aiming to make it a regional air transport center in Africa. In 2020, the newly constructed VIP terminal was completed; In 2022, the second phase of the Bolai International Airport Reconstruction and Expansion Project will be officially completed; Today, the third phase of the renovation and expansion project is progressing steadily...
The British professional aviation website "Simple Flight" reported that the African aviation market has long faced challenges such as insufficient infrastructure and high costs, and the African aviation industry is making leaps and bounds as the Chinese and African aviation industry becomes increasingly linked. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy said the airport is a window and calling card for a country, "Thank you to China for helping us promote regional connectivity." ”
Angkor International Airport, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Giving wings to the tourism industry
The ochre-red terminal is bright, and the glass spire at the top shows the charm of the ancient ruins of Angkor. Viewed from above, the terminal looks like an airplane ready to go, combining modern craftsmanship with Cambodian culture... More than 50 kilometers northwest of downtown Siem Reap, Cambodia, the new Siem Reap Angkor International Airport is about to officially open.
Siem Reap is one of Cambodia's most popular tourist destinations, home to the world-famous World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat, which attracts a large number of international visitors every year. Cambodia's existing Siem Reap International Airport, located only 5 kilometers from Angkor Wat, has a capacity that can no longer meet the needs of the rapid development of local tourism. In order to better protect the monuments of Angkor, UNESCO also recommended that the Cambodian government choose another site to build a new airport.
In 2016, three Chinese enterprises, including Yunnan Investment Holding Group, Yunnan Construction Investment Holding Group and Yunnan Aviation Industry Investment Group, jointly established Angkor International Airport Investment (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., which is responsible for the investment, construction and operation of the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport project. The project officially started construction in March 2020 and has been successfully completed and passed the completion acceptance. It is reported that after the opening of the new airport, Siem Reap International Airport will be officially closed, and all passenger and cargo flights will be transferred to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport.
Siem Reap Angkor International Airport covers an area of about 700 hectares with a flight area of 4E class, which can meet the take-off and landing of mainstream large-body passenger aircraft, and is expected to handle 7 million passengers per year at the initial stage of operation. According to Lin Longgui, general manager of Angkor International Airport Investment (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., the apron area of Siem Reap Angkor International Airport reasonably sets up parking spaces by combining distance and proximity to improve the efficiency of airport operation. The functional supporting area is equipped with "one pass and two inspections", aviation catering distribution, aircraft field affairs, fire center, emergency center, energy center, airport oil depot and other complete supporting facilities, which will provide a solid guarantee for the safe operation of the airport in the later stage.
"The project is designed in accordance with ICAO standards and improved with reference to relevant technical standards for civil aviation in China. The new airport is mainly constructed and managed by Chinese enterprises, and the materials and equipment during the construction process are all from China. Lin Longgui said that he expects that under the framework of the "Belt and Road", China's technology and practical experience can help Cambodia's infrastructure continue to improve and plug in the "wings" for Cambodia's tourism industry.
"The construction of the new airport will allow the ancient city of Siem Reap to quickly connect with the world." Former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said that China's assistance to Cambodia to build Siem Reap Angkor International Airport is of great significance to promote tourism development, increase local employment and better protect the monuments of Angkor. "The Siem Reap Angkor International Airport project is the result of friendly cooperation between Cambodia and China, which will surely better promote the rapid development of Cambodia's economy."
Gwadar New International Airport, Pakistan
Add a new engine for regional development
Pakistan's busy Gwadar region is ushering in unprecedented development opportunities. The sound of whistles, one ship after another anchored in Gwadar Port, waiting in order to load and unload the cargo; Outside the port area, on the East Bay Expressway, a modern highway built by Chinese standards, freight trucks line up to deliver goods to the surrounding area... From Gwadar Port, more than 30 kilometers east along the East Bay Expressway, a steel terminal shaped like a giant bird stands majestically, which is the construction site of the new international airport project of Gwadar aided by China to Pakistan.
As a key project under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the construction of Gwadar New International Airport began in 2019. Up to now, key engineering projects such as airport runways, aprons, and towers have been completed one after another, and the relevant construction work is expected to be fully completed in the first half of 2024. According to Ding Kan, head of the project management team of Gwadar New International Airport, the airport covers an area of 1,800 hectares, and its design and construction standards are in line with the construction standards of Chinese and international general civil aviation airports. The airport runway is 3,658 meters long, which can take off and land large passenger aircraft, and the apron can accommodate five Class C aircraft, fully meeting the high passenger flow demand.
"The Gwadar region has complex environmental and climatic conditions, and the soil is obviously collapsible and collapsible, and it is not easy to build an airport on such ground." Dai Chunzhuang, project manager of the airport flight area, introduced that taking the apron as an example, in order to ensure the strong compaction effect of the foundation, the thickness of the structural layer needs to reach 1.6 meters, and special treatment is carried out. At the same time, builders have to overcome challenges such as tropical heat, water scarcity and high salinity in coastal air. "With the preliminary completion of the main building of the airport, the joint efforts of the builders of China and Pakistan have achieved tangible results!" Ding Kan said.
"With the new airport, more investors interested in the Gwadar region will come here." Babu Gurab is a local investor looking forward to the new Gwadar International Airport. Abdullah Razak Sabier, vice president of Gwadar University, said that based on high-level infrastructure, Gwadar region, as the leader of the development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, will further make good use of its location advantages in the future to effectively promote the economic and trade development of Pakistan and other countries in the region. "When the new Gwadar International Airport is operational, it will become a new engine for the development of the Gwadar region."
Editor-in-chief: Gu Wanquan Zhang Wu Text editor: Fang Ying
Source: Author: People's Daily