Chongqing- By 2025, the regional GDP of the Chongqing Airport Economic Demonstration Zone will reach 100 billion yuan (about 13.4 billion U.S. dollars). The airport industry will account for over 50% of the regional GDP, bringing the total import and export volume to 200 billion yuan, according to a plan released by the Chongqing government.

Largest throughput single satellite terminal in the world

Famous international cities have used their airport hubs to accelerate regional economic development. For example, Memphis International Airport in the United States is the core air transportation hub for FedEx Express. Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands majored in high-tech industries, logistics, and financial services. Frankfurt Airport in Germany focuses on the financial and exhibition sectors.

Chongqing Airport Economic Demonstration Zone is the fourth approved national-level Airport Economic Demonstration Zone, and it owns Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, a 4F-level civil international airport.

Now, the airport is expanding and will meet the annual passenger throughput of 80 million in 2024. The expanding Terminal 3B is about 360,000 square meters, serving as the world's biggest floor space and largest throughput single satellite terminal.

A satellite terminal is a building detached from other airport buildings so that aircraft can park around its entire circumference.

According to the plan, Jiangbei International Airport will achieve a passenger throughput of 63.5 million in the next three years. The cargo throughput of 600,000 tons, consisting of 40% of the international cargo throughput. Its international (regional) routes will reach 115, forming a global network covering China, Asia, Europe, Australia, and America.

Focusing on cross-border e-commerce B2B and Qualified Domestic Limited Partnership (QDLP) pilots, Chongqing Airport Economic Demonstration Zone will develop tax-free commerce, and digital trade, creating a new benchmark for global consumption. It will also lay out international communities around the airport, introducing international schools and hospitals.

Building an airport high-end manufacturing cluster

The annual report on airport economic development in China (2022) released by authorities states that Shanghai Pudong Airport Economic Zone, Capital Airport Airport Economic Demonstration Zone, and Guangzhou Airport Economic Demonstration Zone are among the top three in the overall index.

Pursuing the standards benchmark, Chongqing will accelerate the introduction and development of aerospace high-tech and core industries and build a high-end manufacturing cluster in the airport.

Chongqing will also develop new energy and intelligent networked automobile, intelligent terminal, and software information and optimize strategic emerging industry clusters. Relying on the aviation exhibition business of Yuelai International Exhibition City, the airport-type modern service industry will also speed up.

Furthermore, supported by the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Big Data Intelligent Industry Demonstration Park, Chongqing will build R&D platforms for automotive intelligence, advanced computing, and public service sharing, forming an international collaborative innovation pattern.

Making the city more humanistic with Chinese culture

The airport also makes the city more humanistic while upgrading. Like the Netherlands, they moved the library into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, offering passengers 1,200 books in 29 languages. In Singapore Changi Airport, five theme parks are open all day, and passengers can even witness the process of breaking cocoons into butterflies at the bee chrysalis house.

According to the plan, the Chongqing Airport Economic Demonstration Zone will integrate Chinese culture, Bayu characteristics, and airport elements to create a diverse and inclusive humanistic atmosphere.

In urban construction, the demonstration zone will build several commercial buildings and luxury business hotels with rich architectural space and advanced facilities. Chongqing genes will be deeply embedded in the terminal design, service process, and commercial services.