China plans to unify airport fees for local and foreign airlines within five years under new regulations, the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China and the National Development and Reform Commission said Monday.

The new rules will be implemented in two steps, but a detailed timeline hasn't been set, the two government bodies said in a joint statement.

Closing the gap in fees is a necessary step in helping China's airlines adapt to opening air space and an economic environment that is increasingly globalized, the statement said.

But when the new regulations take effect March 1, the fees charged to foreign airlines will still be higher than those paid by domestic carriers, according to fee tables also posted on the government's Web site.

Fees to be paid by foreign carriers are eight times as high as those paid by local airlines in some categories such as takeoff and landing fees for aircraft up to 25 metric tons.

The statement didn't provide figures for airport fees under previous regulations.