A new aviation hub in the city of Xiamen is taking shape on land off the coast of East China's Fujian province and is expected to serve as a gateway for deepening economic and social integration with Taiwan.

The Xiamen Xiang'an International Airport, a rare offshore facility on Dadeng Island, has passed quality inspections for its terminal district and is transitioning into flight verification and testing phases, construction engineers said.

The 21.37-square-kilometer hub is scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2026. Once operational, it is designed to handle 45 million passengers and 750,000 metric tons of cargo annually.

The development follows the release of 10 new policy measures by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. The measures support Jinmen in sharing Xiamen's airport facilities and advocate for accelerating the construction of a bridge linking Xiamen and Jinmen.

As part of long-term planning, space has been reserved for a dedicated terminal for Jinmen that will be connected by the proposed Xiamen-Jinmen Bridge, said Ge Hongbin, chief engineer of the airport's construction unit.

Before the bridge is completed, travelers from Taiwan can take a ferry to Xiamen's Wutong Terminal, where a dedicated shuttle service will provide direct access to the new airport, Ge said.

Plans are also underway to build another passenger ferry terminal on Dadeng Island, where the airport is located, to connect with Jinmen and improve convenience, he added.

Beyond logistics, the airport's design, themed as a Fujian-Taiwan gateway, incorporates cultural elements shared across the Taiwan Strait. These include roof structures inspired by traditional dragon boat racing, a sport celebrated on both sides.

Another feature is a plaza of wind-deflecting lion statues, a cultural symbol in both Xiamen and Jinmen traditionally believed to protect against strong coastal winds.

"When visitors from Taiwan and Jinmen arrive, these familiar sights and shared dialects create an immediate sense of kinship," said Chen Yixuan, a worker at the construction site.

Wu Chia-ying, honorary president of the Taiwan Businessmen Association in Xiamen, said the infrastructure would allow Jinmen residents to benefit from the Chinese mainland's high-quality development.

"Most people in Jinmen hope the bridge will be completed soon, as it will bring business opportunities," Wu said. "Such integration will lead to higher incomes and a better quality of life, marking a new milestone in cross-Strait development."