Editing Transport in China (section)

==Air==
{{Main|Air transport in China}}
As a result of the rapidly expanding [[civil aviation]] industry, by 2007 China had around 500 airports of all types and sizes in operation, about 400 of which had paved [[runway]]s and about 100 of which had runways of 3,047 m or shorter. There also were 35 [[heliport]]s in 2007, an increasingly used type of facility. With the additional airports came a proliferation of [[airline]]s.

===Airlines===
{{Further|List of airlines of China}}
{{Update|part=section|date=August 2024|reason=Most of the data is at almost 20 years out of date}}

The [[Civil Aviation Administration of China]] (CAAC), also called the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, was established as a government agency in 1949 to operate China's commercial air fleet. In 1988 CAAC's operational fleet was transferred to new, semiautonomous airlines and has served since as a regulatory agency.

In 2002 the government merged the nine largest airlines into three regional groups based in [[Beijing]], [[Shanghai]], and [[Guangzhou]], respectively: [[Air China]], [[China Eastern Airlines]], and [[China Southern Airlines]], which operate most of China's external flights.

By 2005 these three had been joined by six other major airlines: [[Hainan Airlines]], [[Shanghai Airlines]], [[Shandong Airlines]], [[Xiamen Airlines]], [[Shenzhen Airlines]], and [[Sichuan Airlines]]. Together, these nine airlines had a combined fleet of some 860 aircraft, mostly [[Boeing]] from the [[United States]] and [[Airbus]] from [[European Union|Europe]].

To meet growing demands for passenger and cargo capacity, in 2005 these airlines significantly expanded their fleets with orders placed for additional Boeing and Airbus aircraft expected to be delivered by 2010. In June 2006, it was announced that an [[Airbus A320]] assembly plant would be built in the [[Binhai New Area]] of [[Tianjin]], with the first aircraft to be delivered in 2008.

Air China owns 30% of [[Cathay Pacific]] (second largest shareholder) and the [[Civil Aviation Administration of China]] (CAAC), an administrative agency of the [[State Council of the People's Republic of China|State Council]], owns majority and controlling stakes in China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and Air China.

The total number of planes of all mainland Chinese carriers combined will be near 1,580 by 2010, up from 863 in 2006. By 2025, the figure is estimated to be 4,000.<ref name=China_Daily>{{cite web| url = http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-05/06/content_4513609.htm| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080225025711/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-05/06/content_4513609.htm| url-status = dead| archive-date = 2008-02-25| title = China's fleet to double in five years}}</ref>

Twenty-seven airlines in the Chinese mainland handled 138 million passengers, and 22.17 million tons of cargo in 2005.<ref name=China_Daily/>

===Airports===
[[File:Beijing Daxing International Airport 20.jpg|thumb|alt=Interior of Beijing Daxing International Airport|Interior of [[Beijing Daxing International Airport]]]]
[[File:20230720 Interior of Terminal 2 of Shanghai Pudong International Airport.jpg|thumb|right|Interior of [[Shanghai Pudong International Airport]]]]
[[File:Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport T2.jpg|thumb|Interior of [[Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport]]]]
{{Further|List of airports in China}}

In 2007 China had 467 airports. Of China's major airports, [[Beijing Capital International Airport]] (PEK), located {{convert|27|km|0|abbr=on}} northeast of central Beijing, has the greatest flow of passengers annually and is the second busiest in the world.

Shanghai has the 2nd largest amount of air traffic in China through its two airports combined, the [[Shanghai Pudong International Airport]] (PVG), which is located {{convert|30|km|abbr=on}} southeast of central Shanghai, and [[Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport]] (SHA), which is located {{convert|13|km|0|abbr=on}} west of central Shanghai. Both are under control of the Shanghai Airport Authority.

The new [[Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport]] (CAN), which opened in August 2004 and is located {{convert|28|km|abbr=on}} from downtown [[Guangzhou]].

Other major airports are located at [[Hong Kong International Airport|Hong Kong]], [[Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport|Chengdu]], [[Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport|Chongqing]], [[Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport|Dalian]], [[Hangzhou]], [[Harbin]], [[Hohhot]], [[Kunming]], [[Qingdao Liuting International Airport|Qingdao]], [[Shenyang]], [[Tianjin]], [[Urumqi]], [[Xiamen]], and [[Xi'an]].

China is served both by numerous major international flights to most countries of the world and a host of domestic regional airlines. Air traffic within mainland China is often connected through [[Beijing]], [[Shanghai]] or [[Guangzhou]]. They are, respectively, the main hubs for [[Air China]], [[China Eastern Airlines]] and [[China Southern Airlines]]. In 2003 China's [[civil aviation]] sector carried nearly 2.2 million tons of freight and 126.3 trillion passenger/kilometers.

Passenger flights to [[Taiwan]] and other places under administration of the [[Republic of China]] must follow [[three links|special rules]]. Flights between mainland China and [[Hong Kong International Airport]] (HKG) and [[Macao International Airport]] (MFM) are considered international.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

China, however, is planning to build a new airport in [[Nagchu County|Nagqu]], [[Tibet]] in 2011. It will surpass [[Qamdo Bangda Airport]] as being the world's highest airport once completed.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=14726.blog&csp=34 | work=USA Today | title=Mileage calculator | access-date=2010-05-26 | first=Ben | last=Mutzabaugh}}</ref>

====Airports with paved runways====
*Total: 403
*Over 3,047 m: 58
*2,438 to 3,047 m: 128
*1,524 to 2,437 m: 130
*914 to 1,523 m: 20
*Under 914 m: 67 (2007)

====Airports with unpaved runways====
*Total: 64
*Over 3,047 m: 4
*2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
*1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
*914 to 1,523 m: 17
*Under 914 m: 26 (2007)