BEIJING - China's top economic planner has approved an airport project in Southwest China's Guizhou province, with a total investment of 1.8 billion yuan ($267 million).

The airport in Weining is designed to handle up to 350,000 passengers and 1,050 tons of cargo every year by 2025, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

Guizhou is one of the poorest parts of China, with transport infrastructure lagging far behind developed areas.

The project is expected to improve regional transport, enhance emergency response support and boost regional economic development.

China began an airport construction boom in 2008 when the government began massive spending on infrastructure to offset the global financial crisis.

By the end of 2015, China had 207 civil airports and is expected to have around 260 by 2020.

In the first half of 2017, China's fixed asset investment in civil aviation was 42 billion yuan, surging 25.7 percent year on year.