The expanded Dunhuang Airport in northwest China's Gansu Province opened Sunday.

With its new runway and terminal building, the expanded airportcan land big airplanes like the Boeing 737 and can accommodate 300,000 passengers.

The expansion project, which started in July 2000, cost 320 million yuan (3.9 million U.S. dollars).

With the world-famous Mogao Grottoes located in Dunhuang, the upgraded airport will greatly boost the local tourism industry.

( People's Daily August 19, 2002)