China’s State Council and Central Military Commission have formally approved the construction of Wushan airport in Chongqing municipality. Construction work is expected to start this year, with completion anticipated in 2015. It will involve an investment of Rmb1.253bn.

Wushan county is located in the northeast of the municipality, to the north of the Yangtze River. The original town of Wushan was submerged by the creation of the Three Gorges Reservoir. Tourism is one of the county’s main industries, and its Little Three Gorges on the Daning River are its greatest attraction. However visitor numbers have fallen away since the construction of the dam, which has had the effect of reducing the depth of the gorges.

It currently takes more than five hours to travel between Chongqing main city and Wushan by expressway.