March 26 saw some monumental launches in China's aviation industry. In Shanghai, a brace of new airport facilities has begun operations at Pudong International Airport. While back in Beijing, the brand-new Terminal 3 at Capital International Airport is now running at full strength.

Statistics show that every one million passengers brings US$120 million in revenues to the city where the airport is located.

Turnover in China's aviation industry was the second highest in the world in 2007. Passenger throughput at Beijing's airport and cargo volume at Shanghai's Pudong airport put both facilities in the top 10 list of busiest airports around the world.

With the help of the Terminal 3 in Beijing's Capital airport and Terminal 2 in Shanghai's Pudong airport, annual throughput at the airports of these two major cities will exceed 60 million journeys. This is the minimum amount needed to be considered an international hub.

Besides sheer volume, an international aviation hub must accommodate a large number of flight passengers, be convenient for transfers and be part of a network for both domestic and international flights.

The airports in Beijing and Shanghai already fulfill the first two requirements. And Chinese airlines that choose the airports in the two cities as their hub are helping to expand the aviation network within and outside of Chinese mainland.