Hedong Airport in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, will soon be opened to foreign aircraft, under the approval of the State Council, China's top governing body.

The move ends Ningxia's history of no direct air route to other countries, a local civil aviation official said Sunday.

Hedong Airport in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, will soon be opened to foreign aircraft, under the approval of the State Council, China's top governing body.

As the only civil airport in Ningxia, Hedong Airport has opened more than 20 domestic air routes linking Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other large cities since it began operations in 1997.

The landlocked region, many of its residents are Muslims, had a record foreign trade of more than US$800 million in 2004, with its export markets in 110 countries and regions.

Local officials said the opening of international air routes would boost economic growth in Ningxia and western China as well.

The airport is upgrading the terminal building and preparing to build a customs inspection building.

(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2005)