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Jiaxing in East China's Zhejiang province has been an integral part of the province's plan to build a network of general aviation airports, local media reported on April 21.

Pinghu, Tongxiang, Haining and Haiyan, all under the administrative management of Jiaxing, have been listed as construction sites for general aviation airports in the province, according to the Zhejiang General Aviation Airports Layout Plan recently issued by the Zhejiang Provincial Development and Reform Commission and Zhejiang Provincial Department of Transportation.

A senior official from the development and reform commission in Pinghu city said that the airport will be located in Pinghu's Xindai town and will offer short-distance transportation, emergency rescue, and aircraft test flights.

The site selection report has been submitted to relevant authorities, and construction on the airport is scheduled to begin in the second half of the year.

The provincial layout plan states that by 2035, general aviation airports in Zhejiang will feature a so-called "960X" pattern.

"Nine" refers to the fact that civil transport airports in nine cities – Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Zhoushan, Yiwu, Taizhou, Quzhou, Lishui and Jiaxing – will combine the functions of general aviation airports.

"Sixty" refers to the construction of 60 A2-level or above general aviation airports in Zhejiang. A2-level general aviation airports are open to the public and capable of servicing commercial passenger planes with five to nine passenger seats.

"X" refers to the construction of several A3-level general aviation airports (including  helicopter landing pads) which will be used for natural disaster relief, urban fire control, police flights, low-flying tours, and industrial, agricultural and forestry operations.

The difference between transport airports and general aviation airports lies in which type of aircraft they serve.

Transport airports serve civil aircraft which engage in public air transport, while general aviation airports serve civil aircraft which perform flights for industry, agriculture, forestry and fishery purposes, as well as medical treatment, disaster relief, scientific research, educational training, and cultural and sports activities.