(Yicai Global) Dec. 12 -- Guangzhou Baiyun International, the third-busiest airport in China, has begun the third phase of its expansion as it looks to handle 120 million passengers in 2030.

The latest stage will involve building the transport hub's fourth and fifth runways and a third terminal, state-backed China News Services reported after attending a press briefing held by the airport's operator Guangdong Airport Management Group yesterday.

The group completed the second phase of the expansion in April, opening up a second terminal and an integrated transport center. That followed two years of upgrades beginning in 2015 that helped the airport take its 2017 passenger volume to 65.8 million, up 10.2 percent on the year and ranking it as the world's 13th busiest.

Baiyun expects to handle 80 million passengers in 2020, making it a top 10 global airport by traffic. It hopes to have 180 international routes by then, up from the 150 covered by 78 airlines now, with a quarter of passengers traveling to or from overseas.