New airport in Beijing expected to open in late September

An aerial photo shows the construction site of Beijing's new airport in Daxing district in Beijing, Oct 2, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

Beijing Daxing International Airport, an 80 billion yuan ($11.6 billion) construction project that should improve international communication and boost the local economy, is expected to open by Sept 30, a senior official announced on Thursday.

Eighty percent of the interior construction has been completed and all of the external construction has been finished, according to the new Beijing airport's office. The water supply pipeline network and transformer substations for electricity are ready.

The natural gas pipeline is being built and will soon be put into use, said Cui Xiaohao, deputy head of the Beijing Commission of Development and Reform and deputy director of the airport office."The new airport will help the capital to serve international travelers better when it opens," he said. "Given the strong regional transportation network between Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, one can reach Beijing's downtown center, Beijing's (governmental) sub center in Tongzhou district and Xiongan New Area within half an hour and go to nearby cities including Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Tangshan and Baoding within an hour after arriving at the airport."

"The airport will provide transportation convenience for the integrated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province," he said.