8 dead after tornado hits S. China's Hainan

11:06, August 29, 2019

• 

  S China airport completes test flight after expansion

  Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport. (Photo: Agencies)GUANGZHOU, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport in south Chinas Guangdong Province made its test flight of passenger planes Wednesday after an expansion, aiming to develop itself into an international air transport hub.After the expansion, the airport can meet the operating conditions of wide-body aircrafts including Boeing 787 and Airbus 330, and provide direct flight service to Europe and America, according to the Guangdong Provincial Airport Management Group.The expansion project includes extending the airport runway by 400 meters to a total length of 3,200 meters and increasing the total number of the aircrafts which the aprons can handle from 21 to 40.According to an action plan to accelerate the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in the period of 2018-2020, Guangdong is pushing forward the construction of world-class airport clusters in the Pearl River Delta region and the coordinated development of the airports in Jieyang, Zhanjiang and Shaoguan.Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport has currently operated flights to eight international destinations including Bangkok, Phnom Penh and Kuala Lumpur. Its passenger throughput has grown at an annual average of 20 percent since the airport was open to traffic at the end of 2011 and is expected to exceed seven million trips this year.

• 

  Chinese tourists' shopping in Turkey surges 85% in first 7 months

  Tulips are seen around the decorative pool in Sultanahmet Square, with the Hagia Sophia Museum in the background, in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 8, 2019. [Photo/IC] ANKARA - The shopping activities of Chinese tourists in Turkey have jumped by 85 percent year-on-year in the first seven months, s

• 

  Luxury passenger vessel launches in South China's Hainan

  TheSan Sha 2 Hao, a new luxury ro-ro passenger vessel, prepares to set off on its first voyage from Qinglan port in Wenchang to Yongxing Island of Sansha city, South Chinas Hainan province, on Aug 20, 2019. (Photo: Chinanews.com)TheSan Sha 2 Haois 128 meters long and 20.4 meters wide, and its waterline is 5.7 meters. It has a total tonnage of 8,000 tons, a maximum speed of 22 knots, an endurance of 6,000 nautical miles and a capacity of 400 seats.The new vessel was built by Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Ltd for Sansha city and was officially delivered for use after a signing ceremony in Hainans Wenchang city on July 31.It combines the functions of transportation and replenishment, administrative jurisdiction, emergency rescue command, emergency medical assistance and scientific investigation of islands and reefs, according to a statement released by GSI on Aug 1."San Sha 2 Haowill further enhance transportation capacity between islands and reefs in Sansha, the countrys southernmost and largest city in the South China Sea, and improve maritime emergency rescue and medical rescue capacities when it is put into operation," the statement said."The high-standard Ropax vessel will play an important role in defending territorial waters at the southern gate of the country," the statement said.