(Yicai Global) July 5 -- Leading Chinese courier SF Express will open a staff training base at its new cargo hub at Ezhou airport, just one hour's drive from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, state-backed news outlet The Paper reported. The news has sparked speculation about whether SF Express will enter the education field.

Called SF University, the center will provide aviation training, technical and operational support for the airport, as well as career development and skills coaching for more than 400,000 employees, according to the local government's website and a company response The Paper reported yesterday. 

On July 1, the Shenzhen-based firm set up an investment unit called Xiufeng Education Investment in Huangguang city, Hubei, with registered capital of CNY50 million (USD7.3 million), the report said. The new company will handle investments in education, consultancy and property management, public information shows. 

When completed next year, Ezhou airport will be the world's fourth largest and Asia's biggest cargo distribution hub, authorities said in a January document. The airport, transfer center and cargo base will cost around CNY32 billion (USD4.7 billion). The airport is expected to reach an annual capacity of 1 million passengers and 2.45 million tons of cargo by 2025.