Beijing --ndash; Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of a new mega-airport south of Beijing on Wednesday, a week ahead of more planned celebrations for the People's Republic of China's 70th anniversary.

The Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) aims to eventually move 100 million passengers and 4 million tonnes of cargo per year. The new airport, together with the currently operating Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), will have a joint capacity of 250 million passengers per year.

The Daxing airport is presented by the Chinese government as necessary for improving Beijing's international competitiveness and essential to integrating the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei province economic area.

Transportation officials at the opening ceremony described it as "a very important way to demonstrate China's growth."

Construction for the 11.5-billion-dollar airport began in 2014. The airport is designed by late architect Zaha Hadid in the shape of a starfish, intended to reduce walking distances for passengers.

Daxing has four runways, with more planned as part of future expansions. It will eventually operate 300 take-offs and landings per hour, according to state media.

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