by Donald Wood
Last updated: 3:23 PM ET, Wed September 25, 2019
The President of China took part in the inauguration of the second international airport in Beijing and the world's largest terminal during a ceremony Wednesday.
According to The Associated Press, Beijing Daxing International Airport was constructed in less than five years at the cost of around $17 billion and will be able to handle an estimated 72 million passengers a year.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was on hand to watch the new airport's first commercial flight depart for the southern province of Guangdong. The China Southern Airlines plane was followed by six other flights which took off for Shanghai and other destinations.
The new airport was built as the existing Beijing airport is nearing capacity. Beijing Capital International Airport is the world's second-busiest behind only Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Beijing Daxing International Airport features a terminal measuring 11 million square feet, which has been dubbed the world's largest airport terminal. The star-shaped facility is located around 30 miles south of Beijing and boasts four runways, with plans to add three more.
The city's Beijing Nanyuan Airport currently serves domestic flights, but government officials announced the facility would close once Daxing International is fully operational.
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