THE construction of a new civilian airport is expected to start soon along China's border with Russia in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang.

Costing around 1.2 billion yuan (US$179 million), the regional airport is designed to handle 450,000 passengers and 3,600 tonnes of cargo and mail annually, according to an official spokesperson with Suifenhe City.

It will have a 2,500-meter-long, 45-meter-wide runway, allowing 4,800 take-offs and landings a year, said the spokesperson.

The construction of an expressway leading to the airport broke ground on Saturday.

Located in the southeastern part of Heilongjiang, Suifenhe is the province's largest port to Russia. It sees nearly a million cross-border trips and its trade volume exceeds 10 billion yuan a year.

Customs statistics show nearly 80 percent of Heilongjiang's cargo imported from or exported to Russia passed through Suifenhe.