China to build new airport in Tibetan area

XINING - Construction will start on a new airport late this year in a Tibetan-populated prefecture in Northwest China to boost local development, local airport sources said Monday.

The airport will be located in Dawu Township, seat of Golog Tibetan autonomous prefectural government in Qinghai province and was recently approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet.

The airport will be completed and put into use in August 2016, said a source with Qinghai Airport Co, Ltd.

At an altitude of about 3,780 meters, the airport will require investment of 1.13 billion yuan ($184 million) with a throughput of 80,000 passengers and 200 tonnes of cargo per year, for Airbus 319 and Boeing 737-700 aircraft.

Golog covers 76,000 square km on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and has a population of 180,000 -- mostly herders. The topography of the region, with an average elevation of 4,200 meters, is dominated by daunting snow-capped mountains and sprawling meadowland.