FARM PRODUCE EXPORTS FROM HUBEI PROVINCE SOAR

Farm produce exported by central Hubei Province soared by 50.6 percent last year to reach 1 billion U.S. dollars, making Hubei China's leading exporter of honey, lobsterling and eggs.

Hubei's honey exports hit 38 million dollars last year, up 11.3 percent from the previous year, according to the customs figures issued Monday.

The province's exports of vegetable products rose by 160 percent to 530 million U.S. dollars and those of grain products were up 99.5 percent to 18.5 million dollars.

Hubei's farm produce exports mainly went to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, Hong Kong and European Union countries, which together accounted for 66.7 percent of the total.

CHINA PROMOTES YELLOW MOUNTAIN TO OVERSEAS TOURISTS

China's National Tourism Administration has made the Yellow Mountain one of its top recommended tourist destinations in the government's overseas tourist promotion campaigns this year.

Zhu Shanzhong, deputy director of the administration, said Sunday that the administration's 18 overseas offices would host events to promote the Yellow Mountain in Anhui Province to overseas tourists.

The scenic site saw 1.05 million overseas visitors last year. The tourist bureau in Yellow Mountain City expected the number to reach 1.25 million this year.

YUNNAN PROVINCE PLANS FOUR NEW AIRPORTS

Yunnan Province in southwest China plans to build four new airports in remote and underdeveloped mountain areas in the next five years to boost economic development, the provincial people's congress heard Sunday.

Qin Guangrong, Governor of Yunnan, told the meeting that the four airports were planned in Lancang, Cangyuan, Xiangyun and Chuxiong prefectures.

He said feasibility studies would be carried out for plans for another 20 small airports in the province in the next five years.

The province known for its resorts of Shangrila and Lijiang already has 12 airports. The airport in the provincial capital of Kunming is being expanded to allow an annual passenger handling capacity of 38 million.

It will be the fourth largest airport in China when the expansion is completed at the end of this year.