The Chinese government will pump more money into its dozens of loss-making regional airports next year, to the tune of 1.2 billion yuan ($190 million), state media said, as it seeks to boost economic development in poorer provinces. The number of airports supported will rise to 146 from 135 this year, with an extra 133 million yuan in financial support, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing the civil aviation regulator. The airports are mostly located in less developed parts of the country, including the restive far western region of Xinjiang and the southwestern province of Yunnan, which borders Southeast Asia, the report added. "In recent years, China's smaller airports have been denounced for their consistent losses," Xinhua said. "According to international practice, basic civil air service is needed to satisfy the needs of residents in economically underdeveloped areas and small airports and regional air routes must be developed with government subsidies." China plans to have some 220 civil airports by the end of next year, and expects many of them to need decades of subsidies, especially more remote facilities that may only get a single flight a week. (Reuters)