Aviation drives China airport building frenzy

Beijing

WHEN Mangshi opened its airport two decades ago, the small tropical city on China's border with Myanmar was served by few airlines. China's recent travel boom has changed that - seven carriers brought in more than one million visitors last year.

"We had a hard time attracting airlines in the early days," said Li Ping, deputy chief of the airport's expansion steering committee. "Now we are struggling to accommodate flights."