(Yicai Global) Oct. 12 -- The city of Suifenhe's Dongning Airport, which will cost an estimated CNY1.15 billion (USD174.3 million) and is set to become the largest trade port to Russia in China's northern province of Heilongjiang, began construction this week, state-owned news agency Xinhua reported.

Dongning will be a 4C-class feeder airport. Once complete, it expects an annual passenger throughput of 450,000 and cargo throughput of 3,600 tons, carried by some 4,788 aircraft. The initial planning routes cover Beijing, Shenyang, Dalian and parts of Russia.

The airstrip will be built to meet the requirements for The Boeing Co.'s [NYSE:BA] Boeing 737 and Airbus SE's [EPA:AIR;BME:AIR;BMV:AIRN;FRA:AIRA] Class-C Airbus 320.

Construction is set to last about three years, with the airport running a pilot flight in 2020.