"As a grasp which gives impetus to the transformation and upgrading of the national economy, the 'aviation economy' is spring up in China. The development planning of Zhengzhou Comprehensive Experimental Zone for Airport-based Economy has been approved by the State Council, which means that the construction of the experimental zone is in line with China's national development strategy", said Li Jiaxiang, chief of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), in a recent interview.

Henan Acts Early in Developing Aviation Economy

"Henan has a clear understanding of the role of the civil aviation sector in regional economic and social development, and has acted earlier as well as taken substantial measures. The government of Henan Province has made the 'civil aviation first in the rise of the central plains' strategy clear in the planning of the Central Plains Economic Zone (CPEZ)", said Li. "Guo Gengmao, the Provincial Party Committee Secretary, has stressed several times that, in the new round of regional competition, Henan has to strengthen the development of integrated transportation advantage, while civil aviation is the key to the construction of integrated transportation."

Li added, "At present Henan has made some exciting progress, and the development planning of Zhengzhou Comprehensive Experimental Zone for Airport-based Economy has been approved by the State Council, which means that the idea to construct a domestic large aviation hub in Zhengzhou and develop the aviation economy as well as an aviation city, is in accordance with China's national development and the trend of modern social development."

Li pointed out that, at present there are already a variety of aviation economic patterns formed in China relying on the development of civil aviation. "Whichever pattern of the aviation economy proves a trend: airports, especially large hub airports, all attract or bring together a series of high-tech industries, modern manufacturing and modern services. With the dynamic combination of a variety of industries, airports and regional economy will influence, penetrate and integrate each other."

Li has repeatedly stressed the need to coordinate the development strategies of the civil aviation industry and regional economy. Local governments of various levels should bring the civil aviation industry into their overall deployments of regional economic and social development, develop aviation economy relying on the airport planning, and build the region around the airport and its adjacent regions into an area assembled by characteristic economy, competitive industries especially emerging industries, so as to achieve the positive interaction between the development of the civil aviation industry and regional economic and social development. At the same time, local governments at various levels should play well their advantages in coordinating and planning, and continuously expand the scope of airport services and radiation area, so as to construct a modern and integrated transportation system centered on airports. "Zhengzhou airport economic comprehensive experimental zone has its own unique advantages in these fields", said Li.

Zhengzhou's Aviation Economy in Rapid Development

According to a report from CAAC, of China's 34 provincial-level administrative regions, 29 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have put forward some specific measures to develop civil aviation in their 2013 Government Work Report, more than 10 of which involve the development of the aviation economy.

The development of the aviation economy in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc. has entered a relatively mature stage, while Zhengzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, etc. are in a stage of relatively rapid development, said Li.

Li has been highly concerned about and strongly promoting the development of Henan's aviation economy, having a good knowledge of the situation in Henan. "Air cargo traffic last year as a whole was in decline; however, that of Zhengzhou bucked the trend with a growth of 47%, about 44% higher than the country's average growth."

"A modern aviation city prototype with airports as the core is gradually emerging in Henan, the comprehensive effect of which once accumulated and enlarged will have important and far-reaching impacts on the entire economy of Henan", said Li.