The National Development and Reform Commission and CAAC issued Opinions on Implementing Coordinated Development of Civil Aviation in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region (hereinafter referred to as Implementation Opinions). The Implementation Opinions propose to implement the guiding principles of the 19th National CPC Congress, follow the guidance of Xi Jinping’s thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, carry out the important decisions specified in the Guidelines for Coordinated Development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, expedite the construction of Beijing New Airport according to the central government’s requirement to build a new source of power for development, build a world-class aviation hub and airport cluster, and comprehensively improve the aviation support and transport service in the region.

The Implementation Opinions propose to follow the basic principles of division of tasks and collaboration, mutual benefit and win-win result, joint response, attaching equal importance to transport aviation and general aviation, connectivity, integrated development, innovation and opening-up, and promote the coordinated development of civil aviation in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. According to the Implementation Opinions, in 2020 Beijing New Airport will be put into operation, international passengers of Beijing Capital International Airport will increase by 2% to 3%, and the two airports in Beijing will be effectively linked to Tianjin Airport and Shijiazhuang Airport. Thus, a pattern of unified management and differentiated development will take shape initially, the synergetic development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei airport cluster will be significantly enhanced, and the service, intelligent technology application and management of these airports will become leading ones in the world. By 2030, the dual air hubs in Beijing will reach a mature state in operation with a strong global competence, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang Airports will be greatly enhanced in their radiation as regional aviation hubs, and Tianjin will become an international aviation logistics center in China. Major airports in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region will be connected with rail transit systems and developed into a world-level airport cluster with complementary edges.

The Implementation Opinions require to facilitate the coordinated development of civil aviation in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in an all-round way, and carry out ten key tasks including improving general airport support capabilities, optimizing the structure of routes network, improving ATC service, forming a comprehensive aviation service network, coordinating regional airport operation & management, building an integrated transport hub with the air hub as the core, facilitating air-railway combined transport, formulating more supportive policies, and enhancing government supervision and regulation.

The Implementation Opinions points out that plans have been made to expedite Beijing New Airport construction, rebuild and expand Tianjin Binhai Airport, establish an international aviation logistics center, rebuild and expand Shijiazhuang Zhengding Airport and gradually develop it into a regional aviation hub; to optimize the structure of routes network of Beijing Capital International Airport, and speed up the building of routes network of regional aviation hubs of Tianjin Airport and Shijiazhuang Airport; to establish a collaborative mechanism for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei aviation hub, and advance the coordinated operation and management of airports in the region; to add more international routes and slots in the initial operation stage of Beijing New Airport, formulate policies in favor of dual-hub construction in Beijing such as traffic rights allocation, flight schedule, market access, and differentiated pricing, and encourage major airline bases at the four airports in Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang to adopt the hub operation mode; to simplify direct transit within 24 hours at these four airports, launch through flight service at airports which conform to the regulatory conditions of customs, realize transit without visa within 144 hours in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and provide clearance service for air cargo transport 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Implementation Opinions also aims to facilitate the construction of Beijing terminal control center and area ATC support facilities, adjust and optimize the airspace structure in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and plan to build one-way circular channels between Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei airport cluster and southwest region and central south region; to advance the planning of general airports, encourage to build general airports around air hubs, support feeder airports to introduce general aviation facilities, and set up a general aviation public service network in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region; to accelerate the construction of multimodal transport system at Beijing New Airport and build a comprehensive transport hub in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region; to speed up the inter-connection of information systems of civil aviation, railway and road transport, encourage air-railway combined transport service, popularize e-ticket and on-line booking, and support to build urban terminals at some major high-speed railway stations.