BEIJING - CHINA announced plans Saturday to build nearly 100 new airports by 2020 to cater for soaring demand.

The proposals will mean eight out of every ten residents will live within 100 kilometres of an airport within 12 years, the General Administration of Civil Aviation said.

It put the cost of building the 97 new airports at 450 billion yuan (S$88.4 billion).

Air traffic volume rose 16 per cent to 185 million passengers in 2007, according to official figures.

The General Administration predicts passenger traffic will grow by 11.4 per cent a year between now and 2020, and freight traffic by 14 per cent.

The number of airports serving more than 30 million passengers a year will rise from three now to 13, it said. -- AFP