The third phase of the renovation and expansion of Taiyuan Wusu International Airport – located in Taiyuan, the provincial capital of North China's Shanxi province – kicked off on May 29.

First built in 1939, the airport has undergone upgrades several times over the decades. In 2019, its annual passenger throughput exceeded 14 million and the existing airport facilities could no longer meet the growing transport needs.

The renovation, with a total investment of 23 billion yuan ($3.45 billion), includes the construction of a new runway with a length of 3,600 meters, a width of 45 meters and a corresponding taxiway system, and aircraft parking aprons.

It also includes a 400,000-square-meter T3 terminal building, a 50,000-sq-m comprehensive transportation center, a parking building of 130,000 sq m and other support facilities.

The construction process will adhere to safe, green, intelligent and cultural designs and construction concepts. 

For example, the airport will erect zero-carbon emission buildings. That is, without consuming coal, oil, electricity and other energy sources, the energy consumption of the buildings throughout the year will all be provided by self-generated renewable energy.

The construction period of the project is about 4 years, with the new facilities going into operation before the end of 2025.

Once completed, Taiyuan Wusu International Airport will emerge as a brand-new aviation hub with an annual throughput capacity of 40 million passengers and a cargo and mail throughput of 300,000 metric tons. 

The upgrade is widely seen as being of great significance to the improvement of Shanxi's modern comprehensive transportation system, the construction of a new inland hub for opening-up to the outside world and for overall high-quality development in the region.