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Hegang, a city in northeastern Heilongjiang province known for its coal industry, has officially launched construction on its first airport. The Hegang Luobei Airport project began on August 27 in the northern part of the city, with completion expected next year. The airport is slated to start flight tests and operational services in 2027. The total investment for the project is approximately CNY 1.1 billion (around USD 149.5 million).
The construction plan includes a 2,500-meter runway, 45 meters wide, a passenger apron with capacity for six aircraft, and a terminal building covering 5,008 square meters. Once operational, the airport is estimated to handle about 450,000 passengers annually, along with 1,600 tons of cargo and mail shipments, supporting roughly 5,000 aircraft movements each year.
Building this airport is a vital step to improve transportation infrastructure and an important element of the city’s strategic development plan. Local officials indicated that the new facility will support the city’s economic transformation and growth efforts.
The airport will be equipped to serve Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 jets, in addition to the domestically produced C919 aircraft, which have a range of about 2,000 km. Initial flight routes are expected to connect Hegang with major cities such as Harbin, Beijing, Shanghai, and Qingdao. Over time, routes to Xi’an, Chengdu, and Guangzhou are also likely to be added.
Currently, Hegang is not connected to China’s extensive 48,000-kilometer high-speed rail network, and road travel options are limited, especially during the bitterly cold winters. The nearest airport is over 70 kilometers away in Jiamusi, with no direct bus service between the two locations, creating a transportation bottleneck that has slowed down the city’s development prospects.
Historically dependent on coal, Hegang shares a 235-kilometer border with Russia and was once thriving in the coal industry. However, resource depletion prompted a shift in focus, and the city is now known for its notably low housing prices. Recently, Hegang has been transforming its economy by developing its graphite resources, expanding into modern agriculture, and promoting cultural tourism.
The city boasts the largest proven graphite reserves in China, totaling nearly 2.3 billion tons. By capitalizing on its graphite assets, Hegang aims to establish a comprehensive industrial cluster, integrating mining with advanced processing for anode materials used in new energy vehicles. The new airport will be particularly strategic, being just 70 kilometers from Asia’s largest graphite mine.
From an industry perspective, air transportation can significantly shorten logistics timeframes and enhance supply chain efficiency, noted Xuan Xianda, deputy director at the local Bureau of Industry and Information Technology. Additionally, the airport is expected to catalyze the development of an economic zone focused on logistics, warehousing, and high-tech manufacturing, fostering diverse industrial growth in the region.
“The new airport will open up considerable business opportunities, especially for tourism,” said Wang Bing, manager of a regional travel agency. He explained that most tourists currently come from within Heilongjiang and nearby provinces, as travelers from eastern and southern China or the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area often avoid visiting due to difficult and lengthy travel arrangements.
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