GUANGZHOU - Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in southern China's Guangdong province said that it had handled 65 million passenger trips in 2017.

This makes the airport the third in China to handle over 60 million trips annually, after Beijing Capital International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

"It marks new progress in making the airport an international hub," said Qiu Jiachen, chairman of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

He said Terminal 2 of the airport will be put into operation next year, and more than 30 international routes are expected to be opened in the coming three years.

"By 2020, the airport will have 190 international routes," said Qiu.

Annual passenger throughput of Baiyun airport has increased by about 10 million every three years since 2004.