"The steel infrastructure of Terminal 3 at Urumqi International Airport [in China's Xinjiang autonomous province] has been completed, and terminal inside and outside decoration, water and heat supply projects are currently smoothly underway," says chief project engineer Guo Weiguo. "We expect the whole airport third-phase expansion project to be completed by the first half of 2009."

The total investment for the third phase of Urumqi's expansion project will be US$377 million (Yuan 2.6 billion). The new 106,000m² terminal will be able to handle over 10.45 million passengers per year.

By 2015, Urumqi plans to build a second runway and a fourth terminal.

Xinjiang has so far invested over US$725 million (Yuan 5 billion) on airport construction and expansion in the province. It has built the new Nalati and Kenasi airports, relocated and built the Kalamayi and Kuerle airports, expanded the Urumqi, Kasi, Hetian, Yining and Aletai airports, and renovated the Kechi, Qiemo and Tacheng airports and Old Uruqmi airport terminal.

By 2010, it plans to complete the relocation and expansion projects of Tulufan, Yining, Aksu, Kuche, Bole and Shihezi airports. By then, there will be a total of 17 airports in Xinjiang province and Xijiang will become the province with largest number of regional airports in China.