Qingdao airport will be developed as a regional-level hub airport in the next five years, according to a national development planning for the civil aviation.

The city’s airport is expected to become a portal serving Japan and South Korea.

A variety of projects will be developed in the surrounding area of the airport, including a modern logistics center, a flight repair center and a residential community for professionals.

The airport is expected to achieve a passenger throughput of 18.5 million people and a freight throughput of 270,000 tons by 2015, according to the plan.

By 2020, the passenger throughput is expected to reach 29 million persons, and is to achieve 53 million people by 2040.

In addition, there will be 20 new international and regional air routes by 2040.

The city’s airport handled more than 11 million travelers last year, a 15 percent year-on-year increase.

The airport is ranked the first in scale in Shandong Province the 15th across the country.

Five clusters of airports will be developed in the next five years, according to the national civil aviation planning.

(Li Hao, Wang Leijiang)