URUMQI - China's far western Xinjiang region plans to invest 30 billion yuan ($4.56 billion) in airport construction between 2011 and 2015, local authorities said Sunday.

Related readings:  Air China to open 2nd Los Angeles-Beijing daily flight  Airports keen to get linked up with railways  Tibet's fifth civil airport starts operation First Shanghai-Kashgar air route opens

The plan includes the construction of four new airports in Tazhong, Shache, Loulan and Tumshuq, airport relocations in Shihezi, Qiemo and Fuyun, and airport expansions in Urumqi, Hotan and Korla, the local civil aviation administration said in a statement.

The investment, 4.5 times of that over the past five years, will help increase the number of operational civil airports in Xinjiang to 22 from the current 16, the statement said.

Last year, the 16 airports reported the handling of 11.7 million passengers and mail and cargo throughput of 101,500 tonnes, it said.

By 2015, the number of aviation passengers in Xinjiang is expected to surge to 20.4 million, and mail and cargo volume will reach 204,000 tonnes, it added.