China's aviation population will reach 380 million by 2020, said Dong Zhiyi, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), at a press conference on Aug. 24. Air services have covered 92 percent of prefecture-level administrative regions, 88 percent of the population and 93 percent of the economy.

At the press conference, Dong used three sets of data to introduce the important role of civil aviation development in China's poverty alleviation work.

By 2020, China had 241 certified transport airports, 58 more than in 2012. In particular, nearly 50% of the new airports are in poverty-stricken areas. Air service covers 82.6 percent of the population in poverty-stricken areas.

By 2020, there were 5,581 routes nationwide, 3,124 more than in 2012, an increase of 120 percent. At present, airports in poverty-stricken areas can ensure that at least one flight a day can be connected to regional hub airports in provincial capitals, and at most one transfer can be connected to international hub airports.

By 2020, the country's aviation population has reached 380 million. Among them, during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the number of new aviation population reached 210 million, and more and more residents of third-tier and fourth-tier cities enjoyed aviation services. Airport passenger throughput in poverty-stricken areas increased from about 28 million in 2012 to 78 million in 2019, an increase of more than 170 percent. Air services cover 92 percent of prefecture-level administrative regions, 88 percent of the population and 93 percent of the economy.

Dong said that the civil aviation industry has played its unique advantages in serving the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. It has not only improved the transportation conditions and investment environment in remote areas, but also expanded the road to prosperity in remote areas, bringing direct benefits and benefits to the poverty-alleviation areas.